The work of a surgeon is one of skill and precision. Steady hands can mean the difference between life and death. North Country Surgical Associates in Newport welcomes their newest surgeon to their team, Virginia McDougall M.D.
Dr. McDougall arrived at the practice in April, joining surgeons Larry Sisson and Mark Meredith. She brings with her an extensive medical background.
“Dr. McDougall has settled in and is keeping busy,” Linda Quarmby said. “The community has been very receptive and we the staff enjoy working with her. Dr. Sisson and Dr. Meredith are very happy to have her here sharing the work load in our very busy surgical practice.” Linda is the practice manager for North Country Surgical Associates.
The New Orleans, Louisiana native’s journey to becoming a surgeon is an inspiring one, one that meant hard work and perseverance, as well as battling a system which often discouraged women from becoming doctors, to say nothing of aspiring to become a surgeon. McDougall was the first person in her family, including among her first cousins, to graduate from college.
During high school, she decided to attend Louisiana State University School of Medicine (LSU) to become a nurse. However after a year of college, she told her advisor she had second thoughts, and realized she wanted to become a doctor. Female physicians weren’t unheard of at the time, but neither were they as common as they are today.
She went on to earn a Bachelor Degree in Nursing, then went on to become a pediatric nurse and a nursing instructor. Eventually she earned a Master’s Degree in Nursing from the same university. Although she found both jobs rewarding, she still yearned to become a doctor.
She applied to LSU. Her plans were to become a pediatric cardiologist, but while performing rounds in various hospital departments, she became fascinated with surgery. She earned her doctorate’s degree in 1994, and went on to perform her residency in General Surgery at LSU.
“Without a doubt Dr. McDougall is a minority as a surgeon. Only 10-12% of general surgeons in the United States are women. However, she said discrimination has never been a major issue for her from colleagues or patients. She is humble yet proud of the reputation she has earned in the operating room and with her patients.
When she visited North Country, she said she knew the hospital was just what she was looking for. The mother of two grown children, with a daughter in Louisiana, and a son in Maine (his girlfriend is a surgical resident at Maine Medical Center), said she has received overwhelming support from her colleagues at North Country Surgical Associates, throughout the hospital, as well as from the patients.
“My reception here has been unbelievable,” Dr. McDougall said. “Everyone has not only been welcoming but people from the hospital as well as others in the community have all offered help in one way or another…so very refreshing.”