Dr. Jaron McMullin, a cosmetic surgeon with Truyu Aesthetic Center, helps patients achieve their goals by focusing on body contouring especially after weight loss or pregnancy, as well as cancer and wound reconstruction. Beyond the office, he enjoys hockey, golfing, and spending time with his wife and five children. Read on to learn more about Dr. McMullin.
What are your educational background and career history?
I graduated from high school in the small town of Raymond, Alberta. I subsequently went to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where I met and married my wife, Bonnie. I attended the University of Utah for medical school and my residency training in plastic surgery. As my residency was drawing to a close, the program offered me a position as a Clinical Instructor in plastic surgery, and I stayed there for three years.
What inspired you to start practicing medicine?
In high school, I enjoyed biology and its practical applications. I also enjoyed working face-to-face with people. I considered other medical careers but fell in love with surgery when I shadowed an ophthalmologist.
What made you choose plastic surgery as a specialty?
I love the variety of surgeries with head-to-toe anatomy. I enjoy working with patients of all ages from 100 years to one day old. As a surgeon, I often get to fix a problem and see the patient move on happily with their life.
What is the best thing about your job?
I like that surgery makes a long-term difference for people, whether it’s helping get a wound healed after complex surgery, removing excess skin and tighten the abdominal muscles after childbearing, or providing reconstruction after a mastectomy.
Best moment of your career thus far?
Moving to Grand Forks. In all honesty, my wife and I are happy to reside in Grand Forks. There are good schools and teachers for our kids, as well as a good mix of small-town and city quality-of-life factors. Altru does a great job providing excellent care, and the leaders respect and work with the physicians to improve patient care.
How do you measure success?
Happy patients. 😊
Describe your typical workday.
I average 2.5 days per week in the clinic and 2.5 days in the operating room. A typical clinic day is somewhere between 15-25 patients with different reasons for visiting. Many are 15-minute follow-up visits after surgery to ensure everything is healing well, but some are about 45 minutes for consultations.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I enjoy golfing and fishing the most. I often get to spend time with one or more of my five children while doing these activities, but I am more than happy to spend an afternoon on a boat or Thursday evening at my golf league at King’s Walk with friends, too.
If you had an extra hour every day, what would you spend it doing?
It depends if Facebook is installed on my phone that week or not. If it is summer, I would want to go hit some golf balls at the driving range. If it is winter, I would probably try to sneak over to the river or out to the English Coulee to ice fish.
What does Altru’s bold new era mean to you?
It means that this healthcare system is committed to this community. Along with that, it means advanced specialty care by plastic surgery is a long-term priority, and I hope to be here for many years to come.
