Brian Gary, M.D.

Brian Gary MD Class of 2006
Surgeon. Innovator. Community Leader. Change Maker.

Brian Gary, M.D., always knew when he graduated from the MUSCSurgical Residency program, he would return to his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama. “I received excellent training at MUSC,especially in my area of interest, which was minimally invasivesurgery (MIS),” said Dr. Gary. “I learned from some of the best in the field, including T. Karl Byrne, M.D. and David B. Adams, M.D. I had a strong desire to return home and use these skills to serve my community.” After graduating in 2006, he joined Jackson Hospital asa general surgeon with an interest in expanding their MIS program.

Dr. Gary recognized the robot’s many benefits to patient care and received additional training on the da Vinci Robot. He was the first surgeon to remove a gallbladder robotically in central Alabama.Over the next few years, Dr. Gary grew Jackson Hospital’s MIS androbotic surgery program. He now serves as Chief of Robotic Surgery at Jackson Hospital, leading a team of six general surgeons as well as urologists and gynecologists trained on the da Vinci Robot.

As a leader and innovator, Dr. Gary believes there are even greater opportunities for surgeons to lead change within their communities.Dr. Gary grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, where both his parents were educators and involved in their local community. His parents started attending Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church during their college years at Alabama State University. At the time, Dr.Martin Luther King led the congregation, and Dr. Gary’s father had the privilege of being one of Dr. King’s chauffeurs. The church has a history of community service that spans well over a century and continues to this day, where Dr. Gary now serves as a deacon.

In addition to being an active participant in his church, Dr. Gary is a part of his children’s school board and other civic organizations. In 2020, he helped guide the city’s healthcare policy by serving on Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed’s transition team. Dr. Gary also used his voice as a medical leader by serving on the COVID taskforce for the state of Alabama. “Those leadership roles all came from having a growth mindset,” said Dr. Gary. “It starts with getting involved on a local level.

“Maybe it’s because of my upbringing and watching my parents’involvement in the civil rights movement under the legacy of Dr.King, but I believe being a leader in your field of expertise offers an opportunity to make an even greater impact by serving as a leader at the community or societal level,” said Dr. Gary. “Medical professionals are often in a unique position of insight on what our community needs just by listening to our patients. As such, we have an opportunity to provide useful and important perspectives to community issues at large.”

Dr. Gary and his wife, Helen, are both actively involved in their children’s schools and the local community. “I met Helen during my intern year. She was an epidemiologist at the Hollings Cancer Center at the time. We fell in love and married in my third year of residency. Our daughter, Claire, was born in my last year. It’s hard to believe that now - sixteen years later - we spent the summer touring colleges!” The couple also has a twelve-yearold son, Brian Jr., better known as “Deuce,” who keeps them busy with his sports and music. “We are blessed that both children are academically gifted and have a lot of interests,” he said. “We try to inspire them to lead a holistic and purposeful life.”

He says Dr. Baliga’s vision to support a more inclusive environment and encourage community engagement illustrates a growth mindset in living a purposeful life.

“His vision is in line with everything we are talking aboutin our meetings,” he said. “You must be inclusive to shape the culture and progressive and forward-thinking to create change.”

This winter, Dr. Gary will present a Grand Rounds as part of the department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grand Rounds.