Careers in Health and Medicine

Greg Phillips

Interventional Spine and Sports Medicine
Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Eugene, Oregon

Education:
Bachelor of Science, 1992, General Science, University of Oregon
Medical Doctorate, 2002, Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica, Wisconsin
Residency, 2003-06, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington

Greg Phillips earned his general science degree at the UO, then worked in other industries for several years before his desire for a people-centered career drove him back to the classroom. “Medical school is a significant commitment to make,” says Phillips, “and I just wasn’t ready for it straight out of college.” Phillips brushed up his chemistry and biology skills with refresher courses, then worked his way through medical school and completed a general surgery internship.

Though he enjoyed surgery, Phillips really wanted to establish more meaningful personal connections with his patients.  Some surgeons, Phillips states, forget the human element in focusing solely on the act of performing surgery itself. “Well, I wanted to do surgery,” he says, “and I wanted to be able to help people, be part of the whole process. PM & R [physical medicine and rehabilitation] gave me an opportunity to do that. I get to see patients, do a procedure on them if they need it, and also manage them and help them get better.”  Phillips specializes in pain management, and performs nerve blocks, radiofrequency nerve lesioning, epidural steroid injections, and the implantation of spinal cord stimulators and pain pumps.

Phillips is grateful for his undergraduate experience at the UO, where anatomy students get hands-on experience. “Yeah, cadaver lab. It was great,” he says. “It really paid off when I was in medical school. I actually became a prosector, which means that you do dissections for the professors.” The UO Athletic Department’s dedication to education was also not lost on Phillips: As the Ducks’ starting center, Phillips had a chemistry class that interfered with football practice. Coach Bellotti “never blinked an eye,” says Phillips. “He allowed me to skip half of practice because that class was only offered at one time.”

Photo by Steve Smith, PhotOregon