OFC | The Orthopedic & Fracture Clinic, Oregon




	AN INTERVIEW WITH DR BRETT ANDRES
	OFCs’ newest sports orthopedic surgeon

	1. Were you at John Hopkins Hospital eight years ago when ABC New was filming their six-part series, Hopkins 24/7, that is airing now?
	“I was a resident in orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital when they filmed the original Hopkins 24/7 series 8 years ago.”

	2. Have you seen this show? What do you think of it or know about it?
	“I watched a few episodes of the series when it was originally filmed. A friend of mine was followed in one segment and I was interested to see how she did. I have to admit that I didn’t enjoy watching it at that time as it felt like spending an extra hour at work. I trained prior to the implementation of the current federally mandated limit on resident work hours. I was already living Hopkins 24/7 – I frankly couldn’t fathom spending another hour there even if it was through the television. I would love to watch it again now as my sleepless nights in the halls of Johns Hopkins Hospital are behind me. My memory of the show is that it was well done, accurate and not overly dramatized, and I do know quite a few people who were highlighted in the series.”

	3. How did your experience in Iraq help you become the orthopedic surgeon you are today? Are there lots of orthopedists over there
	“Going to Iraq with the Air Force was truly an eye-opening experience. I had treated many life and limb threatening injuries in my training and practice prior to serving in Iraq, but the devastating injuries seen with mortars, rockets, IEDs and roadside bombs were like nothing I had seen before. What made it even more challenging was trying to treat these injuries with limited resources in the austere conditions of a field hospital. After that kind of experience, you really feel like you can tackle any orthopedic injury. Orthopedic injuries are the most common injuries seen in our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The head and torso are protected with the Kevlar helmet and body armor so we saw a lot more injuries to the limbs than the head, chest, and abdomen. Accordingly, there are a fair number of orthopedic surgeons stationed over there. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I would estimate that there are about 15 military orthopedic surgeons in Iraq at all times.”

	4. With your resume, you certainly could have gone almost anywhere. Why did you pick Portland for your new home?
	“Portland is a great fit for my family from a personal and professional standpoint. As an avid athlete and outdoorsman, I can think of few places that have so much to offer. Easy access to hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, and the coast are hard to beat for a city of this size. In addition, the medical and orthopedic community is as sophisticated as any large city in the country. I feel extremely fortunate to work at the Orthopedic & Fracture Clinic with such a talented, well-established group of orthopedic surgeons. It is really a wonderful opportunity for me.”

	5. Are the Australians doing anything different then how you've been trained in the US?
	“The Australian orthopedic community is quite similar to that of the US. With the current globalization of information and education facilitated by the internet and international meetings, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in the practice of orthopedics from one western country to the next. One difference I have noted in Australia is that there tends to be a more intimate relationship between the orthopedic surgeons, physiotherapists, and athletic trainers. It is a good model as communication between these different fields allows for a more comprehensive and uniform approach to patient care. I am certain we will develop a similar model at the Orthopedic & Fracture Clinic where the surgeons, therapists, and trainers communicate freely to provide optimal care for a patient from the time of injury to the time of return to sport.”