We sat down with Dr. Samuelson, MD to find out a little bit more about the man behind the lab coat.
Past
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in southwest Iowa- God’s country. I was there until I went to college. My family still lives there.
Top Golf signature healthcare foundation golf tournament 2015
Where did you go to school?
I went to Iowa State for my undergrad, University of Iowa for med school, residency at KU, and sports medicine fellowship at Louisiana State University.
What extracurricular activities did you participate in high school or college?
I played football, defensive back and receiver, to be specific; basketball. and golf.
Who inspired you to go into Orthopaedics?
My other brother is an Orthopaedic surgeon in northwest Iowa. I was always interested in going into medicine but my brother opened my eyes to the field of Orthopaedics.
As a child, did you want to be a doctor?
Yep.
How did it feel when you received your doctoral degree?
It felt like an accomplishment, but it was really a stepping stone for the next level of education. It opened the doors for residency.
Present
What do you like most about your job?
Making people better- It’s challenging to evaluate a patient a patients unique problem to making them better. It’s rewarding to come up with a plan see a patient return to normal functioning activities.
Operation Walk 2015
What is most challenging about your job?
When we are limited on what we can do for a patients problem.
What do you like about living in the Kansas City area?
Local sports, entertainment facilities, etc. Kansas City has big city entertainment, but feels like a small town.
Fun Facts
Where did you meet your wife? How long have you been married?
During residency, a med student I was working with introduced me to her long time friend. We met at Jimmy’s Jigger by KU Medical Center.
We’ve been married for 24 years now.
How has your spouse been an instrumental role in your career?
She has been very supportive, and mostly understanding, when my work takes me away from family or requires me to be up late working on patient’s charts.
How many children do you have?
We have 4. Three are in college and one still lives at home. They keep us busy with sports and school activities.
Do you have any pets?
Two dogs and two cats.
Who is your favorite sports team?
Iowa State Cyclones will always be close to me.
If you were on an island, what three items would you bring?
Book, Wife, and food (not necessarily in that order).
What’s your favorite meal?
Anything that I can grill in my backyard with my family.
What do you want to do when you retire?
Travel and play golf.
Coffee or Tea?
Coffee. With a little bit of cream. None of that froo-froo coffee though.
Basketball or Baseball?
Before, I would always say basketball but now that the Royals have been playing some awesome ball it’s a toss up. The Royals are always exciting to watch.
Chocolate of Vanilla?
Chocolate