Get to Know a BHC Doctor

Ben Gerber, MD

General Surgery, Boone Medical Group Surgery

I grew up in Mount Vernon, Iowa – a small town in eastern Iowa near Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. I graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. with a double major in Mathematics and Biochemistry with plans to be a laboratory scientist. I worked at Washington University in St. Louis for 7 years as a researcher, but I changed direction and decided to pursue medical education. I went to University of Missouri Medical School in Columbia. I graduated in 2011 and met my wife at MU that year. We went out east for Surgery Residency in Wilmington, NC. My wife and I were married during our first year of residency, and we have two children.

Why did you get into the health care field?

After working for several years in a laboratory, I found that I need my work to help people in a more direct way. Healthcare allows me to use my science background and my technical skills in direct service of a person every day.

What interested you in your particular specialty?

Surgery is so compelling to me because it allows me to not only diagnose a patient’s problem and then propose a treatment, but I am also the person who performs the required treatment. Furthermore, how well the treatment is performed is critically important in surgery. It appeals to me that doing my work with true excellence makes a difference for my patient every time.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

It is extremely rewarding to cure a disease. In this regard, I consider surgery to be especially privileged in this regard, because surgeons cure many of the problems we care for. Patients with a hernia, gallstones, appendicitis, some kinds of cancer, or GERD can all be cured with quality surgery. When I get to cure someone, that is particularly rewarding.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Sometimes a patient will be in a situation where all the options are bad. Helping patients and families navigate through these situations can be very challenging but also rewarding.

What do you see changing in health care in the next 5 to 10 years?

The ongoing gradual trend in consolidation of healthcare into large health systems will probably continue. Ideally these consolidated health systems will capitalize on opportunities to collaborate more effectively on behalf of our patients.

What advice would you give someone looking to become a doctor?

You don’t have to be straight out of college to go into medicine. Also, any aspiring physician needs to take the initiative without the fear of failure as much as possible while in training. Medicine isn’t taught, it’s learned from making mistakes and experiencing failures. A good student will make many mistakes while their teachers are available to guide them and less so when they are out in practice.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

My wife and I have a busy family life with two children who have very active schedules. I enjoy being a dad and husband.

What advice would you give to someone who is going to be a patient in a hospital for a period of time?

I suggest people bring their own pillow and a robe to wear. The hospital can be a bit undignified and having a couple small home comforts can help keep a person grounded.