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Emily Mackey, M.D., a board-certified general surgeon, earned a Doctor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Mass., a Master of Science in biomedical sciences at Tufts University Public Health and Professional Degree Programs and a B.A. in Russian language and literature at Amherst College in Amherst, Mass.
She completed a general surgery residency and an advanced GI/gastrointestinal minimally invasive surgery fellowship at the UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, Mass.
“I started my medical training thinking I was going to go into cardiology but I fell in love with the hands-on approach of surgery and the combination of both medicine and doing procedures,” Dr. Mackey says. “I enjoy working with my hands and I enjoy getting to know patients very well and having them put their trust in me.”
In addition to general surgery, she has a special interest in the foregut – which is the upper part of the digestive tract including the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver and bile ducts – and in bariatric surgery, which are surgical procedures to manage obesity-related conditions.
“My ideal patient-provider relationship is one in which I get to know you both from a medical perspective and also what is important to you and the loved ones in your life so that we’re able to have an open conversation in terms of what your expectations are and what they are from my perspective,” Dr. Mackey says.
Being a violinist from an early age and having played in youth orchestras in the Boston area, as well as the Longwood Symphony Orchestra during medical school, also has been very relatable to her medical training, she says.
“I think the musical training I received growing up is very applicable to what I do every day in the surgical process - both from the discipline perspective and the fine motor technique and being able to dedicate yourself to something for the long term,” Dr. Mackey explains.
When not at work, in addition to playing the violin, she enjoys cooking and being outdoors hiking and skiing.