Surgeons Dr. Paul Severson and Dr. Howard McCollister walked out of surgery for the last time July 29 and headed into retirement after 35 years of devoted service. Their presence in the OR may be gone but the legacy they created at CRMC will enrich patients and communities for years to come. “CRMC is extremely grateful to Dr. Severson and Dr. McCollister for their surgical expertise, entrepreneurship, and the compassion they have shown to our patients,” CEO Amy Hart said. “We will miss them both and wish them and their families all the best in their future endeavors.” The long-serving duo are perhaps best known for pioneering many aspects of minimally invasive surgery and creating MIMIS and its Fellowship program. They both have a variety of projects wherein they can continue to share their extensive knowledge and experience with others around the country and around the globe. The journey that started with one surgeon, Dr. Clark Marshall, practicing classic rural surgery in a one-operating-room rural hospital has grown substantially throughout the last three decades because of Dr. Severson’s and Dr. McCollister’s vision, determination, and hard work. Today, 19 surgeons and more than 60 surgical professionals perform a wide variety of both inpatient and outpatient procedures. In 2021, nearly 8,000 operations took place and the surgeons conducted more than 17,000 office visits.

Cards and notes of well wishes for the surgeons may be left at CRMC’s Main Entrance Reception Desk or sent to the Marketing Department at CRMC, 320 E. Main St., Crosby, MN  55441. They will be presented to the surgeons at a retirement celebration planned for September in Crosby.

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