Meet Dr. Julie DiSano

Meet Dr. DiSano

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) is pleased to welcome Surgeon Julie A. DiSano, MD, to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Medical Group and SVMC General Surgery. 

Dr. DiSano received her medical degree from University at Buffalo School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in Buffalo, NY. She completed her residency in General Surgery at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and Penn State Hershey Medical Center. She completed a research fellowship in Surgical Oncology Melanoma Laboratory, Department of Surgery, at the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine.

SVMC: What are your first impressions of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, your colleagues, and your patients?
Dr. DiSano:  So far, SVMC has made a great first impression.  All of my colleagues have been very helpful, kind, and supportive in getting me started here. I am coming from Central Pennsylvania, another rural area, so the patients I see here are pretty similar to those there and I’ve been able to hit the ground running.

SVMC: How did you become interested in surgery?
Dr. DiSano:  In college, I was very interested in medical research and I spent two years working in a lab before attending medical school. Through my lab experience, it became clear that I was more interested in having direct contact with patients and providing patient care.  Then when I went to medical school and started in the anatomy lab, I realized that I wanted to become a surgeon. I really liked the hands-on nature of that course. Surgery allows me to work with my hands every day to help save people’s lives. 

SVMC: What do you like best about the specialty?
Dr. DiSano: I like solving problems quickly and providing quick relief to patients in need.  A patient can come into the Emergency Department with severe abdominal pain that turns out to be appendicitis; you remove their appendix, and by the next morning, they feel a lot better. Providing this type of immediate relief is a very gratifying way to help people.

SVMC: What are your favorite types of surgeries to perform?
Dr. DiSano: My favorite areas of surgery are breast cancer and melanoma. I have always liked treating breast cancer patients. I find it very gratifying to be part of a patient’s journey to beat cancer. I meet them during a very stressful time. I make sure to take the time to explain what is going on and help them understand their diagnosis.  And, with surgery, I can remove the cancer, which immediately improves the patient’s health.  

SVMC: How do you feel about the precautionary measures in place and providing care for patients during COVID-19?
Dr. DiSano:  Vermont as a whole, and SVMC specifically, have done a tremendous job instituting and following important precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Everyone is wearing masks. There’s hand sanitizer everywhere. It is clean and safe. This is especially important because patients need to feel comfortable coming to SVMC for their preventive screenings. Regular mammograms and colonoscopies help us diagnose early and improve outcomes for patients. 

Dr. DiSano joins Drs. Gina Diaz, Simon Drew, Graham Moore, and Charles Salem. Through a team-based approach, they provide minimally invasive surgery using the latest evidence-based protocols. SVMC General Surgery is located in suite 205 of the Medical Office Building at 140 Hospital Drive in Bennington. For more information or to make an appointment, call 802-447-5060.