Conversations from the Leather Lounge: Victor Ursua, M.D., ’03
Residency: Orthopedic surgery at LSU Shreveport
Current: Staff Orthopedic Surgeon
What are your hopes for today’s McGovern Medical School students?
I hope that we all continue to strive to learn and keep up with technology with the intent that we will be better able to care for our patients. I hope that the physicians we are educating will learn the importance of selflessness, compassion and to always keep patient care at the center of our lives.
What inspires you?
My wife’s endless desire to seek out different ways to help other people whether it’s donating to our university or trying to support our local medical school and hospitals or supporting various church and community fund raising events because these things help other people.
Who is your mentor?
I like to believe that my life has been influenced by many people. I learned my work ethics and family values have been molded by my father. I learn about the technical aspects of my work from numerous orthopedic surgeons and other physicians. And underlying it all I like to believe that I learned about compassion and humility and caring and serving others from the life of Jesus Christ.
What’s a day on the job like?
Begin with an early start including a short workout and a cup of coffee. Round on our inpatients making sure each patient has a plan for the day followed by a busy clinic day or an OR day with consults and calls thrown in there to make things interesting. At the end of the day I look forward to a quiet evening and home cooked dinner with my wife followed by a brief nap and a final work out and final preparation for any cases the next day then an early turn in and early start the next day.
What skill is most vital to your job?
As an orthopedic surgeon, manual dexterity and the ability to mentally picture fracture patterns and joints depicted on a monitor when performing arthroscopic surgery is important , but foremost, communication with my patients and my team and colleagues.
What music is on your iPod/iPhone?
Ray Charles’ What I’d Say, Ronnie Milsap’s It was Almost Like a Song
What is the one thing you can’t live without and why?
My wife, Rebecca. She is my life and my reason for existing.
What fulfills you most?
Knowing that my work has helped to improve the lives of others around me-especially our patients.
Who would you most like to meet (alive or deceased) and why?
I would like to meet Jesus to learn about God’s plan for us and how we can learn to strive to live our lives well in all that we do during the course of each day.
What has been your greatest adventure?
Life is my greatest adventure: from growing up in a military family to becoming a physical therapist to marrying a wonderful wife, having 2 great sons, becoming a physician and orthopedic surgeon, being deployed twice with the military, performing exciting and rewarding surgeries, watching my children grow into their adult lives. Life brings more challenges and adventures ahead of each of our lives.