DR . WHO
This running partner was Cris George , a local attorney and more importantly , the man she would marry just over a year later , right before residency began in 1995 . “ My husband is amazing , and we make a really good team . I ’ m very lucky ,” she said . “ I was fortunate . I probably wouldn ’ t have had clean clothes or a hot meal that first year , had I not gotten married . My husband really took care of me that year .”
Dr . George stayed in Louisville for five more years to complete her orthopaedics residency . “ It was busy . We were on call every other night for the first six months of my intern year ,” she said . “ I would have to say , though , I probably never grew more than I did in my intern year in terms of learning things .”
In addition to normal residency pressures , Dr . George also had the added challenge of proving herself in a male-dominated specialty . She was the only female resident in her class and the only female in the program since 1972 . “ I didn ’ t make it a big deal , so it wasn ’ t a big deal . I didn ’ t want to be treated any differently ,” she said . “ But I also didn ’ t let anybody outwork me .”
Following her orthopaedics residency , she elected to do a fellowship year in sports medicine with her mentor Dr . Ireland in Lexington . Ultimately , she knew she wanted to get back to working with athletes , and to capitalize on the PT training she had . “ I do think my background in PT gives me a different perspective than strictly an orthopaedic view . We deal a lot with the physical therapists , and I have a very good rapport with them . It allows me to see both sides .”
Following fellowship , she returned to Louisville and went into private practice with Louisville Bone & Joint Specialists , affiliated
with Baptist Health . “ I ’ m so very blessed to have started there - and I will retire from there one day . It ’ s a great group , it really is . In our group , people don ’ t really leave . I think that says a lot about our culture and our people .”
Dr . George splits her time between the office and the OR and performs procedures like shoulder and knee reconstructions as well as treating rotator cuffs and ACL injuries . She loves the patient interactions and that her days can vary widely ; she can see an 80-year-old with knee pain or a 16-year-old with an ACL injury all in one day and all with different histories and goals . However , she says she has always been drawn to the OR . “ There ’ s nothing else like operating . And , as orthopedists , we definitely have the best tools and toys in the OR .”
Her care extends beyond the traditional office and operating room , though , into some interesting venues .
At the Louisville Zoo , Senior Veterinarian Dr . Zoli Gyimesi has called on Dr . George several times over the last six to seven years to help assist with care of the primates . Most of her work focuses on observation and examinations , but she has also operated on two of the gorillas . While there are many similarities to her human patients , it can be difficult because the primates can ’ t be bandaged and don ’ t understand instructions such as staying still during operations and not bothering their incisions . Nevertheless , it ’ s an experience she wouldn ’ t change for the world .
“ It ’ s amazing the quality of care that they get . They are so well taken care of ,” she said . “ It ’ s such a cool experience . Definitely one of the coolest things I ’ ve done .”
( continued on page 36 )
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