Sit Down For a Q&A With Dr. Gough

A good relationship with your surgeon is important because it fosters trust, open communication, and a better understanding of your medical situation, which can lead to improved surgical outcomes. In this one-on-one interview, we talk with Dr. Aimee Gough to learn more about her, what being a surgeon means to her, and why patients should choose Wyoming Surgical Associates.

What is your surgical specialty?

I’m a colorectal surgeon and general surgeon at Wyoming Surgical Associates. As a colorectal surgeon, I perform operations on most of the digestive system, focusing on the colon, the rectum, and the anus. So, I treat problems like diverticulitis, colon cancer, hemorrhoids, and many other problems that relate to the digestive system.

What is your background and why did you pursue surgery?

My background that led me to medicine was when I was studying chemistry as an undergrad in college, and I loved the science component of it. I was taking a class on drug design and enjoying the medical portion of that but realized that there was a huge delay from drug design headed into drug application, and the benefit to a patient could be decades away, plus working in the lab with pipettes and chemicals, there wasn’t a lot of humanity or social interaction directly with patients with that sort of a career. So, I decided to take the chemistry background and turn that into a medical degree, because I thought that would help me combine the science that I loved with human interaction and the direct ability to help people, which I missed.

Where did you attend medical school and your residency?

I attended medical school at the University of Washington. I was part of the WWAMI program. I grew up in Montana, so I was a Montana student in the WWAMI program, which allows students in states without a medical school (Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Idaho) to attend and be in state at the University of Washington, which is a great program. I’m proud that I was able to take that education, continue it with surgery in California, and then come back to a rural area to practice medicine and work as a surgeon.

I did my general surgical training in Santa Barbara at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, intending fully to be a general surgeon, but then fell in love with colon and rectal surgery, so I pursued a fellowship in Los Angeles, and after that, was able to come back to the Rocky Mountains. I had never been to Casper, but I visited Casper and fell in love, and so I’ve been practicing here for the past six years since I finished my training.

What’s something you would tell your younger self while in medical school?

I think the advice I would tell myself when I was in medical school was that, while everything in the textbooks is important and critical, the greatest joy in the future will be from the patients themselves, taking care of them and their families, and that is kind of the bright light at the end of the tunnel. And I think that advice goes for anyone in medical training, whether it’s nursing, paramedics, or medicine, while the facts are obviously all important, the real joy of working in the medical field is taking care of patients and seeing them get better.

What’s one piece of advice you would give a patient preparing for surgery, or a misconception you’d like to clear up about surgery?

I think one misconception about surgery worth clearing up is that surgeons will always recommend surgery. I think it’s important that we always look at all avenues to help patients feel better, whether it’s surgery, physical therapy, medicine, observation, or sometimes doing nothing is the best approach. Certainly, if a surgeon says you have to have surgery, there’s no way around it. However, if a surgeon isn’t interested in discussing the other options, even offering a second opinion at times, that can be a red flag. I think all of us here at Wyoming Surgical Associates are careful to discuss with patients when surgery is needed, when it’s not needed, and taking a real, balanced approach to each person’s specific case.

What role do surgeons play in the overall health of a community?

General surgeons are sometimes called a “jack of all trades” because we really do a little bit of everything, certainly, things people think of would be hernias, gallbladder surgery, colon cancer surgery, and breast surgery. But we also do skin bumps, lipomas, skin abscesses, and anything like that, so we’re often a great starting point for patients who might need surgery because we can identify and take care of small things in the office. Then, if it’s beyond our scope or you need a specialist, we’re often the quarterback to get people in the door to figure out who they should see as a specialist and get them on to the next stop. I think we (Casper, WY), even a small town, really benefit from a general surgeon to be that resource to get patients in and figure out what might be wrong and either take care of it themselves or get them on to the next stop in their care.

Are there any advanced/innovative surgical techniques or technologies you are currently using or pursuing?

Like many surgeons, I work hard to have my surgeries be as minimally invasive as possible, whether that’s using the surgical robot or using laparoscopy, or even advanced techniques to remove polyps in the rectum without having to make a big abdominal incision. My goal with surgery is to have the surgery done when necessary, be the least traumatic for the patient, and do everything as minimally invasive as possible.

What’s one reason you enjoy living or practicing in Casper?

One thing I really enjoy about practicing medicine in Casper is that we have a great group of physicians, including specialists and sub-specialists here, and so I feel like we can offer a sort of big-city type of medicine here in a fairly small town. So, we get the benefits of a small town with not much traffic, good schools, a great place to raise a family, but we have the robust Wyoming Medical Center with a surgical center. There are a lot of options for patients within medicine and a great medical community that can offer fairly sophisticated care in an otherwise small town.

What’s a fun fact about you?

One fun fact about me, and I acknowledge this might bring on the mockery of the internet, is that I have had two cats over the years named after surgical instruments. So, I had a cat in residency called Adson, which is a small surgical tweezer, and my current cat, his name is Bovie, which is an electrocautery device that we use to stop bleeding in the operating room.

What do you find most rewarding about being a surgeon?

Probably my favorite part of being a surgeon is taking care of patients, getting to know them, and getting to know their families. I think a lot of people think that you meet the surgeon, you have surgery, and then you never see them again. But for the kind of surgery that I do, especially if it’s related to colon cancer or ongoing digestive issues, I end up seeing patients over multiple years, even up to five years. And that’s probably my favorite part of the profession is getting to see people year after year, getting to know their families, and having this sort of longitudinal relationship that really brings a lot of professional satisfaction.

Why should patients choose Wyoming Surgical Associates?

I think patients should choose Wyoming Surgical Associates for surgical care because we provide excellent, compassionate care to folks here in Casper and folks around the state. I’m proud of my colleagues. I think we have an excellent group, and I would like to have my family members come to our group at any time.

Dr. Gough 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. Gough please call our office at (307) 577-4220 or request an appointment online.