KATE BALL
BSc, MD, FRCSC
UBC Orthopaedics Residency Program, 2008
Hometown:
London, ON
Current Location:
Nelson, NZ
Why did you choose the UBC Orthopaedics Residency Program?
I chose UBC because I knew it was a strong training program. I had great mentors at UBC and I love the city of Vancouver!
What do you consider some of your greatest achievements to date?
Being a role model and teacher to young surgeons, and managing to balance my 4 kids and husband with a successful Orthopaedic career.
Tell us about your career journey after graduation.
I did a sports arthroscopy fellowship in Sydney Australia, before returning to Vancouver for a Foot and Ankle Fellowship. I then got a full time job in Vernon, BC and worked there as a busy general orthopaedic surgeon with an interest in Foot and Ankle reconstruction. While in Vernon, I was the involved with the Integrated Clerkship Program through the Southern Medical Program in various roles. In 2017, I was looking for a life adventure and decided to set up a 1 year locum Orthopaedic job in Nelson, New Zealand. I returned to Vernon in 2019, but had fallen in love with Nelson and the culture of a healthy work/life balance. I was offered a full time job at the Nelson Public Hospital and have been practicing here since August 2019. It has been an excellent learning experience. I am now teaching registrars and expanding my surgical repertoire to include primary total hip arthroplasty.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your chosen career path?
I am so fortunate that I have a passion for orthopaedics. I truly enjoy my time in the operating room and in clinics, and I love meeting and learning about my patients. Giving someone back their mobility has to be the most rewarding part of the job for me.
What advice would you give to current residents in the program?
Put your head down and work really hard when it is time to work, but make time in your life for family, exercise, hobbies or whatever it is that makes you happy.