Doctor Spotlight: Eliza C. Anderson

Dr. Eliza C. Anderson is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, practicing in Concord and Laconia. Dr. Anderson is a graduate of Binghamton University and Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she earned her bachelor's and medical degree. Dr. Anderson then completed her Residency at Boston University Medical Center before completing her fellowship at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in Orthopaedic Traumatology.

Q&A

Q: When did you first know you wanted to become an orthopaedic surgeon?
A: I’ve known I wanted to be a physician since I was a child. I always looked up, with admiration, to my parents; my father was a family practitioner and my mother is an orthopedic surgeon. It wasn’t until medical school when I did a rotation in orthopaedic surgery that I realized the apple truly didn’t fall far from the tree, and surgery was the life for me!

Q: What were some challenges you faced along the way?
A: Orthopaedic surgery residency can be pretty intense. One time I gave myself kidney stones because I forgot to drink water.

Q: What makes your patient care approach unique?
A: I believe that the days of paternalism in medicine are gone. It is my duty to provide patients with the benefit of my knowledge and experience to help them choose the correct treatment course to suit their needs. In that way we become partners in their health. If surgery is the right treatment, I’ll take it from there!

Q: What made you decide to focus on orthopaedic trauma?
A: I enjoy treating patients of all ages, with all different pathologies. Every day is different in orthopaedic trauma, and I get to marry the art and science of orthopaedic surgery when I am in the operating room, piecing broken bones back together. Additionally, it is extremely fulfilling to be a steadying presence for my patients, who may be experiencing the worst day of their life.

Q: What is the most common injury you see?
A: Hip fractures are extremely common, especially in the slippery winter months.

Q: Can you walk us through a day in the life of Dr. Anderson?
A: It is simple - my time is split between my two passions: My profession and my family. During the day I am in the OR or in clinic (or both!) and in the evening I spend time with my husband and our son.

Q: What are you most proud of in your career to this point?
A: There is no better feeling than when a patient returns for follow up and says they are pain free without functional limitations

Fill in the Blanks

• If I were not a doctor, I would be: I can’t imagine doing anything else, but perhaps a baker – I have a huge sweet tooth
• My biggest pet peeve is: Inefficiency
• The #1 song on my all-time playlist is: Any song from Transatlanticism or Plans (both Death Cab for Cutie albums) – huge nostalgia factor!
• One little-known fact about me is: My whole family lived in New Zealand for a while when I was young, and to this day I am obsessed with Kiwi culture!
• My favorite food is: I’m a big fan of dairy products. It’s hard to decide between ice cream and cheese