SWMC welcomes new anesthesiologist, Dr. Brandon Mack

September 8, 2018

Southwest Medical Center is proud to announce the arrival of anesthesiologist, Brandon Mack, M.D. Dr. Mack began providing services in Liberal this week at Southwest Medical Center.

Dr. Mack grew up in Peoria, Illinois. He says his parents – an engineer and a university professor – each encouraged him to focus on education and involvement in community activities from an early age. While he initially had no interest in medicine, a rotation in a high school career exploration program introduced Dr. Mack to mentors who helped spark his passion in the medical field.

“There was one gentleman in particular who showed me my first operation. It was a hysterectomy,” Mack explained. “He referred to me as Dr. Brandon, and said, ‘let’s go help care for this young lady.’ For me at that age, I hit this point of self-actualization. It gave me the impression that I could realistically pursue medicine and help people.”

Dr. Mack completed medical school in 2002 at the Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School in Chicago and went on to perform his medical residency at the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago.

In selecting his area of specialty, Dr. Mack explained scooping ice cream helped him build the interpersonal skills needed to connect with patients prior to surgery.

“Growing up, my parents owned a couple of Baskin Robbins ice cream stores. I worked in those stores from the age of 14 and met so many different people. That involvement in the community and working in serving others pushed me to be able to quickly introduce myself to a new person and be involved in meeting their needs,” Mack said. “I was also a chemistry major and very interested in medications, so that helped guide me towards anesthesiology.”

Dr. Mack explains he hopes to connect with patients and be able to address their concerns with anesthesia and the surgical experience to help make the best of their overall experience at Southwest Medical Center.

“You may only see that patient for a short period of time, but it is so important to have a personal connection with them. Anesthesia isn’t like going to get a bank loan or going to the grocery store,” Mack said. “Anesthesia is personal, life-involving, and brings together family members with the patient. It takes a certain person to introduce someone to that aspect of surgery – it isn’t something we take lightly.”

Prior to arriving in Liberal, Mack worked for 11 years in Rock Springs, Wyoming where he served as the Anesthesiology director for Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and opened a private practice pain management center. Dr. Mack says his decision to relocate to Liberal was based on the warm reception he received from the community.

“When I visited Liberal, it was all the different members of the staff here that made me feel we would have a professional, functional relationship in a way that was also comfortable,” Mack said. “Southwest Medical Center seems to be a family not only to the medical center, but to the community as well.”

Dr. Mack will be performing anesthesia procedures for OB labor and delivery, as well as a variety of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures at Southwest Medical Center.

“Dr. Mack has excellent technical skills as an anesthesiologist, and he is able to relate to everyone he meets very well,” Bill Ermann, Southwest Medical Center President and CEO said. “He will serve as a key member of our team for many of our services provided at Southwest Medical Center and we are glad to welcome him and his family to our community.”