Two northern Wyoming communities are welcoming a new orthopedic surgeon. And, as YPR’s Orlinda Worthington reports, it’s a homecoming for the doctor.
“I miss Wyoming. I miss the mountains. I miss the way of life here.”
Those are just a few of the qualities that brought Powell, Wyoming native Galen Mills to care for patients in his home state. Dr. Mills is an orthopedic surgeon in Billings Clinic Cody. He also serves the community of Powell, 23 miles away. He spoke with YPR in just his second week on the new job.
“It's been a blast. I think I've been blown away by how welcoming all the people I’ve met have been.”
Dr. Mills worked in large cities like Seattle and San Antonio, but the choice to serve in a rural area was one he’d been thinking about since he began his residency in 2018.
“I quickly realized that I miss the culture here. Um, I miss being near to my family. And I think being able to offer a skilled surgical subspecialty to a community that I love would be an honor and a privilege. And so, I think really why I wanted to come back to Wyoming.”
In a time when rural communities are losing healthcare personnel to larger cities… and bigger paychecks, doctor Mills says he would encourage other physicians to consider places like Montana and Wyoming… but only if they feel a real passion for the people they’re serving.
“So if it’s just skiing or hiking, climbing you’ll have a good time for a while but then I think after a couple of Wyoming winters and distance from Target, those types of things can add up and cause some complexity to your family life. If this is a culture that is a calling for you I do think there's lots of benefits. Being part of a community I think in a rural area, where you’re willing to bring your specialty, I think there’s a lot of appreciation for that.”
In Billings, I'm Orlinda Worthigton
Dr. Mills previously served as a physician for the San Antonio Spurs. He is also part of the physician pool covering the US Ski and Snowboard Team.
