Samuel T. Burns, MD

  • About
    • Specialties: Family Medicine Mother / Baby Care
    • Gender: Male
    • Languages: English
    • Accepting New Patients
    Biography

    What I Do
    I will always do my best to become an expert on you, your health and what makes you unique. The most consistent feedback I get from my patients is that they appreciate how well I explain things and answer their questions. I believe in the importance of communication and that patients get better care when they have good communication with their doctor.

    My clinical interests include general family medicine, obstetrics, gastroenterology, and procedural medicine. I also am interested in wilderness and disaster medicine and I plan to seek further training so that I can volunteer in those areas.

    Why I Love My Work
    Volunteering in medical wards and interacting with patients was the single biggest factor that convinced me that I would enjoy patient care more than biomedical research. In college, I embraced my inner research scientist and did not think I would ever look back. However, I enjoyed those moments on the wards a lot more than time spent at the lab bench. I started my career in Pharmacology and Toxicology research, then pivoted to medical school. I entered medicine a bit later than my peers because of this change of heart, but my experiences in research equipped me with skills and attitudes that make me a better doctor.

    After medical school, I entered training in general surgery. I completed 60% of a surgery residency in Minneapolis before deciding to pursue a different specialty. With careful reflection, I realized that my ultimate goal is to be able to manage any medical problem that comes in the door, while also cultivating the special relationships that primary care doctors develop with their patients. Family medicine is the perfect solution, as it allows me to really connect with and serve my patients in clinic, hospital, ER and procedural settings.

    I came to CentraCare because I wanted to practice full-spectrum Family Medicine in both the clinic and the hospital. Being in Long Prairie gives me the opportunity to get to know people at work and outside of work and make a difference in our community.

    Getting to Know Me
    I enjoy sharing the beauty of the great outdoors with my family and friends. A lot of my free time is spent with my wife Ruth, daughter Nora, son Rion and Goldendoodle, Sadie. I love making things and being resourceful. My hobbies include woodworking, hiking, camping, bushcraft, knife making, shooting, amateur gunsmithing, simple metalworking, biking, traveling and learning about different cultures and their histories.

    I played French horn and mellophone during my grade school and college years, and the Arkansas Razorback Marching Band, University of Arkansas Symphonic bands and Arkansas Youth Orchestra. I long to play music again, whether in a symphonic band, community orchestra or small ensemble, and if I find the time, maybe I will!

    I cannot wait until my kids are old enough to share my love of science with them and their classmates. I previously did science demos for school children with my Alpha Chi Sigma chemistry fraternity brethren at the University of Arkansas and that was a ton of fun!

    Education
    • Medical School
      UAMS College of Medicine
    • Residency
      UAMS West Family Medicine Residency
  • Profile Video