Scott Dolejs, MD, MSC

Why I chose general surgery as a career:
I love operating. I found that surgeons formed incredibly tight relationships with their patients and took a great deal of ownership over their patients compared with other specialties (still find this to be true). I liked practicing in every possible setting (OR, ward, ICU, clinic, ED). I liked actually fixing problems. Surgery is basically the best.

Why I chose the IU School of Medicine General Surgery Residency Program:
Too many reasons to count… One of the biggest reasons was that residents from this program went on after graduation to practice in every setting imaginable (general surgery in rural areas or overseas; surgical oncology at the top programs in the country (MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering, UPMC); pediatric surgery at the top programs in the country (Boston Children’s, Vanderbilt, here); and we have matched someone in the last five years to just about every fellowship imaginable). That told me that no matter what I wanted to do, I would be well prepared to do it (whether that meant practicing in the community right after residency or climbing the academic ladder). It’s awesome practicing in every imaginable setting (we rotate through everything from high powered academic cancer centers to a VA to a county hospital to community hospitals). And, it’s a Midwestern program with friendly residents and faculty who I “clicked” with.

Professional/Research Interests:
I did two years of research in between the PGY2 and three years and got a master’s degree in biostatistics. My research interest are predominantly in using large databases to answer clinically meaningful questions. I am planning on becoming a colorectal surgeon.

Personal Interests/Hobbies:
I am married and have two kids, so the bulk of my out of hospital time are spent hanging out with them. I can tell you a lot about the park scene, zoo scene, and children’s museum (best in the country). I like doing home DIY projects. I also really enjoy playing volleyball.