Austin D. Person, MD

When Austin Person, MD, reflects on his path toward medicine, he immediately thinks of his grandfather.

"At the age of 2, he contracted polio and was paralyzed from the waist down," said Dr. Person, a colon and rectal surgeon at Methodist Physicians Clinic. "What I found so inspirational about him is that he never let his handicap define him or limit his abilities. He ended up becoming a fantastic pediatrician in Lincoln and was a wonderful advocate for his patients."

Now, as he treats his own patients, Dr. Person is committed to building strong relationships with them and their families.

"That's really the most gratifying thing for me," he said. "I know that surgery is not something to be taken lightly, so I feel that it's important to really get to know my patients and earn their trust."

Those relationships can span for years, through initial clinic appointments, counseling on what surgery can entail, surgery itself and postoperative care.

"It's just wonderful to see the arc that their life has taken from the time they're diagnosed with the disease or struggling with it to when they've had a successful surgical outcome. Because now they're finally able to live the life that they want to live."

Outside of work, Dr. Person loves spending time with his wife and three children  often coaching his kids' sports teams and attending their games.

"There's no more perfect day than when I'm with my family," he said.

He also enjoys board games, cooking, working in the yard and bike riding.