New chief of Surgery finds happy place in fast pace

It would take a lot to knock Good Samaritan’s new chief of Surgery off his game. Adam Bulter, MD, General Surgery, was a competitive downhill ski racer while studying as an undergrad at Penn State.

Unable to travel abroad during college while on the ski team, the New York native decided to stamp his passport for medical school and attended the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University in Israel.

“During just four years in Israel, I witnessed two wars and 30,000 rockets fired on Tel Aviv,” he said. “Because they’re always at war or at risk of being attacked, Israel has leading-edge medical technology. It was a great place to learn to be a physician and to practice a steady demeanor during traumas.”

Bulter returned home to continue his training. He completed a General Surgery residency at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, and a fellowship in Trauma Surgery and Surgical Critical Care at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla.

Attracted to the balance of elective, trauma and critical care surgery available at Good Samaritan, he joined the hospital’s medical staff two years ago.

“The surgery care provided here is excellent,” he said. “In the two years I’ve been here post-COVID, we’ve had both impressive growth and an increase in stability, which is a testament to everyone in this department – general surgeons and specialists, APPs, RNs, techs, support staff, everyone.”

During his two-year tenure as chief, Bulter wants to improve the department’s functionality and efficiency behind the scenes to enhance the patient experience. He cites upgrading and reopening the OR suites currently being used for storage and attracting more surgeons with advanced skill who fit the hospital’s culture as two of his specific goals. Improvements to scheduling and block time also are on the list.

Seems like a tall order, but as a former ski racer, he’s seen taller. What’s his biggest challenge?

“Keeping up with these younger PAs in the Colorado powder! I skied on the east coast. Racing down an icy run, that’s my happy place.”

Bulter with his wife, Stephanie

Physicians who would like to discuss any Surgery Department issues with him or explain to him why he’s wrong about his powder-vs-ice preference can contact him anytime at adam.bulter@imail.org.