Pioneering the Practice of Medicine
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Pioneering the Practice of Medicine: Dr. Nils Tronnes
A founding physician of St. Luke's Hospital and Fargo Clinic, Dr. Nils Tronnes achieved great notoriety in MeritCare's history. His wide-ranging legacy continues to inspire.
A highly skilled and gifted surgeon, Dr. Tronnes performed countless life-saving procedures, wisely incorporating innovations of the day. His detailed journal revealed that he and Dr. Sand (co-founding physician) performed about 12,000 surgical operations during their 47 years of practice in Fargo. He was elected to the American College of Surgeons in 1920.
A champion of quality, Dr. Tronnes demanded excellence of himself and others, including colleagues and nurses. But he tempered his demands with kindness and generosity. His daughter Margaret recalled Sundays when her father took groups of nurses out for ice cream in his seven-passenger Nash automobile.
A man of vision, Dr. Tronnes proved instrumental in establishing a multi-specialty group practice. He realized this revolutionary change would result in better care for patients, especially those with complex needs. "He was a world of moral dignity and compassion for his fellow men," said Margaret.
For his expertise, innovation, insistence on quality and essence of kindness, we celebrate Dr. Tronnes, aspiring daily to follow in his footsteps.