Your Stories: Saint Mary’s Colleague Recognized by National Organization

Gary Hodge, Saint Mary's Surgical Residency Program Administrator and Administrative Manager for the Department of Surgery receives award from NSAMA.

On April 4, Gary was awarded the “Distinguished New Medical Education Administrator Award”. Gary is Saint Mary’s Surgical Residency Program Administrator and Administrative Manager for the Department of Surgery.  Since his inception into the role back in July of 2022, his peers say the program has grown in morale and efficiency. Gary’s colleagues consider him the “go-to” person for his wealth of knowledge and mentorship. 

“When I came to Saint Mary’s over 20 years ago, I learned that work here is not just work, it’s about family. It is not about the individual; it is about the people. It is about how well we do our job. I learned that if I could help my colleagues do their job better, that makes the team better,” Gary shared. 

Receiving help is great when it is asked for, but sometimes daily tasks and routines can make us forget to ask for help when we need it most. Gary often makes an effort to intervene when help is needed but the solution is not as obvious as a simple ask. In the spirit of noticing where there can be room for improvement in the workplace, Gary created an anonymous survey for the surgical residents to evaluate their experience. He also started a “Wellness Corner/Library” for all residents to enjoy.

Gary is a big bookworm; whether it is on kindle, audiobook, or a physical copy, Gary is lost in a story!  The “Wellness Corner/Library” came to life after he and Alexander Palesty, M.D., exchanged books for fun and Gary began to think about what wellness looks like. “Wellness is way more expansive than taking a lecture series...sometimes it is not that complicated. The library is 100% recreational, and that was the design to encourage recreational reading. It's for residents and staff to disconnect and read a few pages or a few books. It is a ‘take one, leave one’ concept meant to live on its own,” he said.  The “Wellness Corner/Library” is not only reserved for the Surgical department, but all Saint Mary’s colleagues are welcome to stop by and decompress with books or just sit and chat. 

Aside from creating solutions and outlets in the workplace, Gary is active in education. He invests time learning more about surgical education to not only expand his knowledge but to help others. “Growth is a never-ending journey,” he said. “If you are not doing something proactively to grow, you’re stale, you become complacent, you become comfortable. And while that is not necessarily bad, it does not set you up to succeed.” Gary participated in presenting at the Association of Residency Administrators (ARAS) Surgical Education Week on Breaking into Surgical Education and is scheduled to present at ARAS 2025 Surgical Education Week this coming May. Gary also attended the 2023 and 2024 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Annual Educational Conference, as well as completed over 70 hours of professional development education courses sponsored through Trinity Health, ACGME, NSAMA, Academy of Program Coordinators (APC), the American Board of Surgery (ABS), and the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

In his short tenure as a new coordinator, Gary was involved with the American Board of Surgery as an Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) champion and is an active and voting member of the National and Local Chapters of the American College of Surgeons.

From 2023 to 2024, Gary took part in Trinity Emerge Mentoring Program as a Mentee along with the Trinity Health Leadership Academy. He then created a Resident-Faculty mentor/mentee program for professional development.

Gary Hodge continues to showcase his dedication to surgery and the development of his residents and colleagues. This award is a testimony to the commitment to his craft. 

Submitted by Gary Hodge, Surgical Residency Program Administrator, Saint Mary’s Hospital

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