SWMC Welcomes General Surgeon Dr. Peter Phan

Southwest Medical Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Peter Phan, M.D., F.A.C.S., has joined our outstanding team of medical professionals. Dr. Phan brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to serving the community, and we are thrilled to have him on board.

Dr. Phan’s journey into medicine was inspired by a calling he felt as a high school student in Washington State. Reflecting on his path, he shared, “For years, I wanted to serve God but didn’t know exactly which career would fit. Then one day in Sunday school, I heard about missionary doctors and it suddenly clicked. From that moment on, I focused completely on becoming a physician.”

He pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Washington and applied to medical schools across the country, ultimately choosing Loma Linda University School of Medicine. “My uncle recommended that school to me because he had done his internal medicine residency there and he knew of my passion for medical missions. I loved Loma Linda’s combination of excellent teaching and service abroad. During my 4th year of medical school, they even allowed me to spend a month on a medical missions trip to Cambodia,” he recounted.

During his time at Loma Linda, Dr. Phan discovered his passion for surgery and successfully matched into a surgical residency at Synergy Medical Education Alliance in Saginaw, MI. After completing his residency, he joined the United States Air Force as a general surgeon.

“At first, I saw the Air Force as just a means to pay for medical school. But once I started serving members of our Armed Forces, I was filled with gratitude. It was a privilege to provide surgical trauma care to our wounded soldiers. The sacrifices that they and their families have made for our country are beyond measure, and I was honored to play a small part in supporting them,” Dr. Phan said.

As a military surgeon, Dr. Phan deployed to Afghanistan three times as an elite Special Operations Surgical Team member. He spent months at forward locations, providing emergency surgical support for troops on the front lines. Dr. Phan was decorated with numerous honors for his service, including the Air Force Combat Action Medal, the Army Combat Medic Badge, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.

After completing four years of active duty military service, Dr. Phan received an honorable discharge and moved his family to Denver, CO. There, he entered private practice as a general surgeon and helped train the next generation of surgeons as the Associate Program Director of the Sky Ridge General Surgery Residency Program. Throughout his career, his passion for medical missions remained strong, and he has served on trips to several countries, including Niger and Gabon.

Dr. Phan is now excited to serve the community of Liberal, where he has deep ties. “My wife is from Meade, so I know first-hand how delightful the people of Southwest Kansas are! I’ve been visiting and vacationing here for over 20 years. It is a blessing to move here and be close to our relatives; I sincerely hope to be of service to all of my new neighbors.”

Dr. Phan is now seeing patients at the General Surgery Care Center, alongside general surgeons Dr. Jose Maeda and Dr. Timothy Barron. The practice is located at 305 W. 15th Street, Suite 204 inside the Medical Office Building at SWMC. Dr. Phan is accepting new patients and most major insurances, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicare, and Kansas and Oklahoma Medicaid. For questions about services performed by Dr. Phan, please call (620) 624-4946 or visit www.swmedcenter.com.