UK-Georgetown Physician Reflects Back on 39-Year Career
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 1, 2012) — After 39 years of caring for the families of Georgetown, Ky., UK HealthCare-Georgetown's Dr. Gus Bynum has retired from practice.
Retirement is bittersweet for the physician, who's been a staple of the Georgetown community since he arrived in 1973.
"I'll miss interacting with my patients and co-workers," said Bynum, an assistant professor of family medicine in the UK Department of Family Practice. "Finding out how their families are doing, what they've achieved, and their hobbies. You really get to know people, and your patients become your friends."
Bynum attended the University of Mississippi and received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College in 1968. He graduated cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine internship at the University Hospital in Jackson, Miss.
Becoming a physician seemed like a natural fit for Bynum, who comes from a strong family tradition of doctors — his father was a general surgeon, and his maternal grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfathers were all doctors.
"I went into family practice by default," Bynum said. "I really enjoyed interacting with patients as individuals."
After his internship in 1973, Bynum began scouting the Central Kentucky area as a potential place to work. He was fortunate to receive an invitation from three Georgetown physicians to join their established family practice group at St. Luke Place, which proved to be a good fit.
He later opened his own private practice in 1991 and worked there for nearly 20 years. In 2010, he joined UK HealthCare Georgetown and became an assistant professor for the UK College of Medicine. When his two-year contract with UK was up, Bynum said he was ready to retire.
"I just felt like it was time to make a break," Bynum said. "And to start working on some projects at home."
He's already well-known in the area for one of his home projects — pumpkin-carving. In October 2010, his pumpkin carving work was featured in Kentucky Living magazine. Bynum says he also plans to focus on his woodworking and stone carving.
In addition, he says he's looking forward to traveling the most. He and his wife already have two trips planned — one to the Washington, D.C. area soon for his son's wedding, and another to the Grand Canyon early next year — with many more in the future.
"I like to travel, and I hope to continue to do that, both in the U.S. and outside of it," Bynum said. "My wife and I would love to go to Italy — we've never been."
Despite his love of traveling, Bynum considers Georgetown his home and says he truly lucked out when he accepted the offer to join the St. Luke Place practice.
"Georgetown is a wonderful place to live, and the community has been highly supportive of me and my family," Bynum said. "The appreciation from patients and their families for my work here has been the most positive thing."
MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Perry, (859) 323-2399 or allison.perry@uky.edu