On Call: A Rural Surgeon's Story

On Call is an autobiography of J. Lottman, a female surgeon that she hopes will inspire other male and female surgeons to consider becoming rural surgeons. There aren’t many rural surgeons around, making this an uncommon autobiography and practice. It spans a thirty-year practice from 1981 to 2011, after her schooling and training. Dr. Lottmann explains the distinctiveness of a rural surgery practice and how it differs from an urban practice. She explains the scope of general surgery and her surgical caseload changes over those thirty years. Advanced surgical techniques for rural surgeons have significantly changed since she began her career. Although there has been significant medical advancement, a rural surgeon can find it challenging to offer the most up-to-date procedures in a small rural hospital due to the cost of the equipment. On Call will take you through Dr. Lottman’s training, practice, and some of her most memorable cases, challenges, and triumphs. She also shares the unique challenges of female surgeons as they navigate marriage and motherhood and being a surgeon—frequently, the only one in town. Dr. Lottmann hopes her autobiography will encourage medical students to pursue a career in rural surgery because there is a great need for them in this country.

J. Lottmann, MD is a retired surgeon who practiced general surgery in a rural setting for thirty years. She graduated from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine in 1976. Dr. Lottmann performed surgery in Sparta, Tomah, Hillsboro, Black River Falls, and Whitehall, Wisconsin. She now resides with her husband near Warrens, Wisconsin.