Women's History Month Spotlight: Catherine Logan, MD

March is Women’s History Month. A time for us to celebrate and honor the strong, creative, and courageous women in our lives. Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Physician, Dr. Catherine Logan was inspired to get into the field of orthopaedic surgery/sports medicine after witnessing her older sister go through three ACL surgeries when they were in high school. Seeing her overcome the setbacks and challenges and return to play/performance deeply impacted her. Today, her favorite part of her job is doing just that: “I really enjoy that, as an orthopaedic sports surgeon, I can help athletes return to their beloved activities and sports,” said Dr. Logan. “I have also always loved working this my hands and being active - the physicality of my job is something I see as a positive. As a former athlete, whether it be in clinic or the OR, everything is a team effort which I enjoy!”

Did you know that women comprise only 6% of orthopaedic surgeons in the US? The percentage of female sports medicine surgeons is an even smaller margin! “I would be remiss to say being a female is a severely underrepresented field does not come without challenging days. I try my best to focus on the positives of my career and the wonderful family I am blessed to be surrounded by. I know that my sons also see a mom doing things that they only know to be "normal." That is enough for me.”

Dr. Logan’s shares words of wisdom to girls and women who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine: “My advice would be to seek out both male and female mentors, and to gain exposure to both the challenges and the rewards of a surgical career. Prior to my pursuit of the field, I spent 100's of hours volunteering, shadowing, and doing research - this experience enabled me to enter the discipline with a complete understanding of what it takes to be successful in the field. I find orthopaedic sports medicine to be extremely fulfilling, but the journey to become an Attending surgeon is long, requires academic discipline and steady dedication to the pursuit!”

Typical of the majority of orthopaedic sports surgeons, Dr. Logan grew up playing a multitude of sports and enjoyed spending time tinkering and building things with her father. She played competitive basketball, soccer, and softball! These days, she enjoys snowboarding, split boarding, trail running, and working out in the gym with her family. In addition to caring for patients at AdventHealth Porter, she also is proud to be a team physician for Team USA ski, snowboard, and men’s lacrosse!