John Gansel, MD

Bio

I grew up in Orange County in Southern California, the land of aquatic sports. I was successful in swimming and water polo. My grades were strong and I was recruited by Stanford to play water polo. I enjoyed my high school math and science classes and declared Biological Sciences as a major at Stanford. Water polo turned into a year-round sport with the college team, club teams, and the US National Team.

I returned to Southern California to study medicine at UCLA. I continued playing for the US National Water Polo Team until my third year of medical school when I started my clinical rotations and medicine became my full-time commitment. As a part of my medical school clinical rotations I was assigned to an orthopedic service. I loved the surgery, repairing broken bones with precision orthopedic instruments, joint replacements, arthroscopy, and I loved working with the orthopedic patients. I was accepted to the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program at the Harbor/UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California.

I have been at Kaiser Santa Rosa since 1991, and feel fortunate to have joined Kaiser Permanente. The physicians I work with are outstanding, and the Kaiser Permanente system gives me the freedom to provide the quality care my patients deserve.

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

Orthopedic Surgery is my passion. It brings together all the things I liked doing when I was young into a profession that I truly enjoy. I like fixing things, working with precision instruments, making a positive difference in someone's life, and seeing the result of what I do in a short period of time. I get to use the latest in technology and to work in a medical environment. A patient's appreciation is a great reward.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

I have three main orthopedic interests: trauma, joint reconstruction, and sports medicine.

Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, my training hospital, is known as a trauma hospital. It is situated in Torrance, California at the junction of the San Diego and Harbor Freeways. We were the smallest of the three Los Angeles County hospitals and the major trauma hospital in the West Los Angeles area. By the end of my training, I had fixed hundreds of fractures, thus my interest in orthopedic trauma.

Joint reconstruction interests me because of the ability to make such an immediate positive impact on a patient's chronic pain and limitations. Joint replacement surgery employs many of the latest technical advances in orthopedics.

My sports medicine interests stem from my sports background and enjoyment of competitive patients. They are highly motivated, and it is rewarding to assist in their successful return to activities.

An interesting story from my training:

I truly enjoyed my internship and residency, but I cannot remember ever being so tired. I am sure most physicians have similar stories. The hours were very long; the typical day started at 6:00 and often never ended. Despite the long days, we were in the hospital, awake and working 2 to 3 nights a week. My oldest daughter was only a year old during this time and still on a bottle. We would lay down on a bed together, with her head on my arm and a bottle in her mouth, and race to see who could fall asleep the fastest.

Photos from My Training Years or of Practicing Medicine in My Field:

An Exhausted Orthopedic Resident with Young Children.

Interests

Hobby Photos & Links:

The "Door" is Shut

Family & Friends

People in my life:

My wife, Susan, and I have been married since I was a medical student. We met when she was in nursing school. She supported us through medical school and then residency and has raised two great kids. She is involved in the community and in our kids' activities. I have been told we are probably polar opposites but complement each other well. Her insights into the medical profession have helped her understand the commitment and sacrifices I have made to do what I do. She also shares my passion for athletic conditioning and training.

My children and people I care about:

My two girls amaze me. Both are compassionate, energetic, confident, respectful and always entertaining. Both work hard in school, have outside interests and busy social calenders. Susan's influence is obvious. I enjoy sharing in their activities. For me the best day is just being with my family at home or on vacation.

Photos of my Family & Friends:

Susan and I During the Medical School Years

Fallen Leaf Lake 2005

Travel

An adventure I've had:

Success in water polo opened some big doors for me. I trained with the US National Team from 1977 until 1985. I have countless stories and memories of traveling with fourteen of my best friends to places like Europe, China, Cuba, and even Guayaquil, Ecuador. We competed in Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, and Czechoslavakia while they were still the Eastern Bloc. In these countries, water polo was second only to soccer in popularity.

We fielded good teams, but history, popularity, referee bias and government support strongly favored the Europeans. The foreign players were salaried military officers. All living expenses were paid and they practiced as a team year-round. They fielded great teams. To the East Europeans, a sports victory over the West was a reflection of their system of government.

At home, the US players were a loose group of students and recent graduates. It was tough holding down a job; training and traveling with the team meant missing school or taking extended time off from work. We were truly amateurs among professionals, but it made each victory even sweeter.

One of my recent trips:

Over Christmas 2004, my family traveled to Akamael, Mexico, to stay in an eco-friendly beachside hotel. Soon before our trip started, we learned the hotel would not be ready and instead we would be staying at the builder's home. It turned out to be a very fortunate change. The owners were great; they showed us the area from an insider's point of view.

It was such a great experience, that we returned in Christmas of 2006. We stayed in the same house with the same family and continued right on from where we had left off. We explored Mayan ruins, snorkeled in the protected reserves with sea turtles, and enjoyed the local food at the beach side restaurants. We all noticed the changes that had taken place in only two years. The Mexican Riviera is being developed at a furious pace, but it is still a wonderful place to vacation.

Travel Photos:

Standing on the Great Wall of China in 1982

Trip Photos:

Enjoying the Beach in Akamel

Other Links & Photos