Dr. Patrick St. Pierre | From Battlefield Discipline to Robotic Shoulder Repair & Burgundy Wisdom
What do Ranger School grit, cutting-edge robotics, and Burgundy wine have in common? This lively episode of Big Conversations, Litte Bar with Patrick Evans & Randy Florence traces an extraordinary journey from West Point and the DMZ to the operating room and, now, the tasting room. Our guest, Dr. Patrick St. Pierre, an Eisenhower Medical Center orthopedic surgeon and Level 4 sommelier—explains how military discipline shaped his calm in high-stakes surgeries and why staying cool matters when complications arise. He shares the origin story of his goat-based rotator cuff research, the development of Mako robotic shoulder replacements, and a behind-the-scenes tale from Indian Wells when a timely ankle injection helped pave the way to a championship. We also explore smart retirement: don’t retire from something—retire to something. For him, that’s education, judging, and curating wine, including a new role directing selections for a local wine & cheese shop. Plus: Tommy John myths, Coachella Valley Firebirds medicine, and why not every rotator cuff tear needs the knife.
Takeaways:
- Military training built composure for complex surgeries and leadership.
- Early research using goats advanced rotator cuff healing insights.
- Helped develop FDA-cleared Mako robotic shoulder replacement techniques.
- Not all rotator cuff tears require surgery; rehab often works.
- Tommy John surgery is effective but not a guaranteed comeback.
- Memorable moment: treating an ankle before a title match at Indian Wells.
- Retirement works best when you transition to a purposeful passion.
- Achieved Level 4 WSET; now teaches, judges, and curates wine locally.
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