Well-Known Local Doctor Receives Prestigious Award from His Alma Mater
Bingham Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that Gail Fields, DO—an orthopedic surgeon with the Orthopedic Institute—was one of eight Tennessee Tech University (TTU) graduates to be honored with an alma mater’s outstanding alumni award. On February 5, Dr. Fields received the award, which is given to individuals who have demonstrated professional excellence by achieving success and recognition such as to effect great pride among the faculty, students, and alumni of TTU.
“This is the most meaningful award that I’ve ever received or should ever expect to receive,” said Dr. Fields. “I’m ruling out ever getting an Oscar, Nobel Peace Prize, or a Congressional Medal of Honor! But, as Jack Benny once said when he received an award, ‘I don’t deserve this, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either!’”
As an award recipient, Dr. Fields also said that he was honored to join such an elite and highly-esteemed group of outstanding alumni award recipients, including recognized astronauts, scholars, writers, actors, artists, musicians, entertainers, business executives, scientists, politicians, or persons of comparable stature, who clearly exemplify the excellence to which TTU is so deeply committed.
Before earning his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from TTU, Dr. Fields was recruited out of high school to play professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals. During a game when his was pitching, the bone in his upper arm (the humerus) snapped. Later, when he attended medical school, he knew that he wanted study orthopedic surgery because of the time he spent going through medical procedures and physical therapy on his arm, and how grateful he was to the healthcare professionals who helped him during his recovery. Upon graduating from TTU, Dr. Fields was on a path to become a Chemical Engineer. He even had a job lined up, until he learned that he was accepted into medical school. Deciding to go to medical school was a decision he said was probably the most profound choice he has ever made.
After working several years as an orthopedic surgeon in a fast-paced medical practice in Miami, Florida, during a motorcycle trip touring the Intermountain West with one of his sons, Dr. Fields stopped in Blackfoot, Idaho. He met with a doctor who was looking for an orthopedic surgeon and the rest is history. Dr. Fields has lived and worked in Blackfoot for almost 30 years. He ran a private practice for 15 years before helping to develop Bingham Memorial’s Orthopedic Institute.
Dr. Fields has never forgotten about his meaningful time at TTU. He donates to the university on a regular basis, in particular, to the men’s basketball team. “I feel athletic teams are great Ambassadors for a university, and I think it’s important to give something back to the university that gave so much to me,” said Dr. Fields.
The relationships he has fostered at TTU extend to Blackfoot. Each year, a contingent of his classmates visit Blackfoot to participate in the Bingham Health Care Foundation golf tournament, which generates many donations that support Bingham Memorial Hospital and Blackfoot.
When asked how he defines success, he said, “Real content and enduring happiness and fulfillment come from two things: our work and our relationships.” He has been incredibly fortunate in the workforce and being able to choose what he does for a living. “I love my work and the opportunity to do things that I feel are important to make people and the world a better place and to build what I hope will be a lasting legacy.”
Dr. Fields offers this advice to the next generation of doctors: “It’s important that they treat patients with the respect, the way they’d like to be treated. It’s important to take the time to build strong relationships with patients and provide good results. No one is better than the other and nobody is immune to disease and illness.”
Dr. Fields is an integral and well-respected member of Bingham County, and he continues to earn the respect of his peers and the loyalty of his patients. His unselfish dedication to providing medical care to the citizens of eastern Idaho is commendable, and Bingham Memorial is fortunate to have him on their team.
“On behalf of everyone at Bingham Memorial Hospital, I would like to congratulate Dr. Fields on being honored with such a prestigious award from his alma mater,” says Jeff Daniels, interim CEO of Bingham Memorial Hospital. “This award recognizes the excellence he strives for in providing exemplary patient care. It is because of doctors like Dr. Fields, who are inspirational, vibrant, and thoughtful, that makes our community a special place to live and work.”
ABOUT GAIL FIELDS, DO
Dr. Fields is a highly skilled orthopedic surgeon with over 30 years in the operating room, making him one of the most experienced and well-respected orthopedic surgeons in eastern Idaho. He has extensive knowledge in general orthopedic care, trauma, joint pain, and scope guided surgery.
Dr. Fields believes that one of the most important roles as an orthopedic specialist is to help patients improve their overall quality of life. This requires helping them relieve any persistent joint pain they may experience. He has extensive knowledge in both sports medicine and trauma, which helps him in surgery whether it is for total joint replacement or a knee arthroscopy. Dr. Fields is a sports enthusiast and enjoys helping athletes get back to the sports they love.
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry; Tennessee Technical University; Cookeville, Tennessee
Medical School: Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine; Kirksville, Missouri
Internship: Osteopathic General Hospital; North Miami Beach, Florida
Residency: Southeastern Medical Center; North Miami Beach, Florida
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