Dr. Steve Haman '95
Orthopedic trama surgeon, Orthopedic Institute of Ohio, Lima, Ohio
Major: Chemistry
Repairman.
Steve surgically repairs major bone injuries that people suffer in traffic collisions, falls and other accidents. Having just moved to the Lima area, he will perform 500-700 surgeries per year at St. Rita’s Medical Center and Lima Memorial Hospital.
Making a difference.
Many of Steve’s patients suffer some of the worst imaginable damage to bone tissue. Sometimes the bone is fractured into tiny pieces. Sometimes bone is protruding from the skin. For many people it would be overwhelming to be called on to mend such injuries, but for Steve it is part of a rewarding job. “The patients see a difference right away,” he says. “I get instant gratification. You feel like you’re making a difference.”
Setting the stage.
Mending a fractured bone can involve fastening pieces together with a plate or screws. Sometimes a rod is placed among pieces to align and support them. Once the parts are brought together and aligned by Steve, nature takes over and heals the injury. Steve is matter-of-fact about it all: “I just put things where they belong and the rest takes care of itself.”
Relationships.
An important part of helping people heal is meeting with them before and after surgery. The initial meeting is the most important part of the entire process, even more important than the surgery, Steve says. It is in the first meeting that he explains treatment options and together with the patient determines a plan of action. “We come up with a consensus on what’s the best option,” he says. Following surgery, Steve meets with the patient several times over a period of months to review the patient’s healing.
Athletics.
Steve came to Bluffton because he wanted to play football in college. He was a linebacker his first two years and an offensive lineman the last two seasons with the Beavers, enjoying the friendships he made with other athletes. He still keeps in touch with his teammates and classmates.
Formula for success.
As an undergraduate hoping to be a physician one day, Steve chose chemistry as a major because it would help him in medical studies. At the time, he also was unsure whether he could make it into medical school. He figured a chemistry major would ease a transition into other career options, like chemical engineering.
Dream comes true.
Steve was accepted into Medical College of Ohio. During his time there, he did research with the chair of the Department of Orthopedics and that led to his interest in becoming an orthopedic trauma surgeon. After earning his medical degree in 2000, Steve had a five-year residency at Medical College of Ohio, and then a one-year trauma fellowship at the Florida Orthopedic Institute, in conjunction with Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Fla.
Lofty pursuit.
In his spare time, Steve, a licensed pilot, likes the thrill of flying. “It might be more stressful than my work, I don’t know,” he says half-jestingly. Flying in unfamiliar areas, watching air traffic and coping with difficult weather conditions can be a challenge, he says.
