Sit Down For a Q&A With Dr. Adams

Research suggests that a strong patient-surgeon relationship may lead to better outcomes in both patient recovery and overall medical care. To build this strong patient-surgeon relationship, we are sitting down with our surgeons to help you get to know them and our practice a little better. In this one-on-one interview, we talk with Dr. Adams to learn more about his background, what being a surgeon means to him, and why he chose to provide surgical care in Casper.

What is your surgical specialty?
I’m a general surgeon, so I treat a wide variety of surgical conditions. These mostly center around the abdomen, think gallbladder, hernias, colon, small bowel, and things like that. I also do surgeries such as skin and soft tissue excisions, breast surgery, and thyroid surgery.

What is your background and why did you pursue surgery?
I have a background in exercise physiology and sports, and I decided to pursue surgery because I liked being able to fix problems quickly and directly.

Where did you attend medical school and your residency?
I attended medical school at St George’s University in Grenada and then I completed my general surgery residency at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, which is an awesome community, very similar to Casper in population and environment. So, the transition moving here to Casper was very easy.

What’s something you would tell your younger self while in medical school?
I would tell myself to “pay attention to every single patient and every single experience that you have because any patient interaction can make you a better physician in the future.” I strived to do that as a student, and I feel like I now value every patient a little bit more.

What’s one piece of advice you would give a patient preparing for surgery?
One thing I tell patients about surgery is to remind yourself that surgery is a process. It’s not just one moment in time. Performing the procedure is only a brief moment, then you have weeks to months depending on the procedure to recover. So, one piece of advice that I give patients is to really try and optimize your health ahead of surgery, rather than seeing surgery as a fix to whatever problem you’re having. Examples of that would be, trying to exercise regularly, trying to eat as healthy as you can, and then cutting down on bad habits like smoking and drinking. Doing all those things will help you recover from surgery faster and have less pain in those weeks to months after surgery.

What role do surgeons play in the overall health of a community?
Surgeons play a role in the health of the community because a lot of the time, surgical problems can be very debilitating for patients, especially things like big hernias or gallbladder problems. By fixing those problems, we can allow patients to get back to the lives they want to live, whether it’s going out and hiking, fishing, hunting, or even just leading a healthy life in general.

Are there any advanced/innovative surgical techniques or technologies you are currently using or pursuing?
As far as innovative surgical techniques are concerned, I make very liberal use of the da Vinci Robotic Surgery platform. This is a technology that allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery and more complex procedures with more dexterity than we were able to do previously using traditional laparoscopy. I find that by using the robot, instead of doing open procedures, I can cut down on the patient’s pain, and I can also make recovery much, much faster. I’m currently trying to expand the number of procedures I can do using the robotic surgery platform.

What’s one reason you enjoy living or practicing in Casper?
My favorite thing about living and practicing here in Casper is the people. They are so friendly and welcoming. I’ve only been practicing for a short time, but I’ve felt nothing but welcome since I’ve been here.

What’s a fun fact about you?
A fun fact about me is that I’m not a U.S. citizen. I was born and raised in England, and yes, I know the accent is gone!

What do you find most rewarding about being a surgeon?
For me, the most rewarding part about being a surgeon is being able to fix problems quickly and see results immediately. For example, if somebody comes to our office with a gallbladder problem, even before they leave the hospital after surgery, typically they feel better. They might have a little bit of pain from their incisions, but the pain they had is gone immediately. And I really like that.

Why should patients choose Wyoming Surgical Associates?

Patients should choose Wyoming Surgical Associates if they want compassionate care from skilled surgeons right here in Casper. In the past, a lot of patients have been referred to bigger cities like Denver or Salt Lake City for complex surgical problems, but most problems we can take care of here in Casper. If you have any questions about a problem that you think we may or may not be able to deal with, I encourage you to call and talk to our team.

Dr. Adams provides personal care and individualized treatment so our patients receive high-quality care that is personal to their specific surgical needs. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Adams please call our office at (307) 577-4220 or request an appointment online.