Pierre Father and Son Surgeons Share a Passion for Patients
Many sons and fathers share interests, passions or opinions. Yet not every son and father have regular conversations about helping patients who would benefit from surgery.
Eldon and Brandt Becker, two Avera surgeons who serve the Pierre community, have those conversations. As providers in Avera Medical Group in Pierre, the triumphs of their challenging profession – and the tough times – build bonds that go beyond profession or family.
“Enjoying my work is a blessing, and to do so side by side with my son is most special,” said Eldon Becker, MD, FACS.
Eldon and his wife, Marlys, moved to Pierre in June 1989. Their son Brandt was then 7 when his father began a general surgery practice. Now they are professional peers.
Both surgeons face situations – 24/7 – that require expertise and teamwork. Working in a small Midwestern city, they have busy days with routine procedures interwoven with surgical emergencies in the operating rooms at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital.
“There’s nothing general about general surgery – we treat a broad spectrum of patients,” Brandt said. “We fix a lot of problems with surgery."
Brandt said the surgical treatments include:
- Endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques, which make up a large part of their practice
- Treatment of patients for colon cancer screening and treatment
- Trauma
- Gastrointestinal emergencies
- Hernia repair
- Endocrine and breast surgery
“The wide range of procedures are part of the challenge,” Brandt added. “We’re here to do our best, close to home.”
Understanding the Expertise in Generalization
Some surgeons specialize on one part of the body; as rural health general surgeons, this father and son team rely on a notable fund of both medical and surgical expertise.
“The broad scope of practice – and the diversity of patients – attracted me,” Brandt said. “I saw the hard work and challenges my dad faced.”
Yet he remained intrigued and became a general surgeon.
“Our training and work focuses on the body as a whole,” Eldon said. “This perspective allows us to care for a specific surgical problem, like appendicitis, or a number of emergent multiple-system injuries.”
What It Means for Dad to Share a Medical Career with Son
Eldon is humbled and gratified to work shoulder-to-shoulder with his son. “Caring for people from our community reminds us to do our very best,” he said. “Doing so engages us, and it adds to the purpose of our work.”
As a dad, he knew his son saw the joys and pitfalls of being a surgeon. “His mother and I have been proud of him throughout his educational journey,” Eldon added. “Medicine can be a tough career.”
Surgeons regularly serve families facing recovery, or loss due to illness or injury. “It’s something you never quite get used to,” said Eldon. “We have the joy of helping patients get better, but when there is a problem that can’t be fixed, it’s hard. Brandt and I share the good and the bad, and joy and the sorrow.”
And away from work, they share pastimes like hunting, fishing, building and repairing, and traveling to the Black Hills. They keep family first, and that includes Brandt's wife, Rebecca; their children Bryce, Brooks, Kate and Paige; Eldon’s wife, Marlys; and Andrew and BryAnn Becker Knecht, Eldon and Marlys’ son-in-law and daughter.
Following in His Father’s Footsteps
Sometimes people call Brandt the “other Dr. Becker” – and that’s OK. He knows he and his dad are peers. Brandt saw rural doctors face intense realities, yet he embraced the profession, in part because he saw the real-life differences he could make – in real time.
“We’re connected, yet separate,” he said. “If we disagree, we collaborate. It’s all about making the best decision for patients.” Both doctors know they can be that close-to-home expert who find solutions.
In a close-knit community, it helps to have a mentor. Brandt and Eldon, along with Riley Lamb, MD, and their team of advanced practice providers count on each other to successfully face whatever comes through the doors of their hospital.
“We do a bit of everything, and we know good care comes from good collaboration with a care team,” Brandt said. “The patient is at the center of all we do. I realize just how valuable it is to have mentors.”
When your dad is also a mentor, it can be helpful. Yet the two Beckers appreciate being part of a tertiary health system. Brandt said, “Being bonded to Avera, we are part of a broad-based health care team that greatly extends our services.”
Deep down, our work is simple: we fix problems. Whether I work with my dad or a subspecialist in Sioux Falls – the goal doesn’t change,” Brandt said.
Avera’s footprint in health care covers cities large and small, tiny towns on the prairie, and a range of providers who have a single priority: the patient in front of them right now.
“Making life better for our patients is something we all know, and strive for,” Brandt said.
Eldon said awareness is important. “Brandt, Riley and I understand the privilege of serving others, and the Avera mission; we do what we do because patients come first.”
Learn more about Avera’s focus on patients. Learn about the Avera mission.
