Dr. Michael Carpenter, a general surgeon on the Northshore for more than 30 years – the past nine with St. Tammany Health System’s Northlake Surgical Associates – is retiring.
Known for his surgical expertise as well as for his sense of humor, Dr. Carpenter was given a spirited sendoff Thursday (Dec. 14, 2023) by health system administrators, members of the Northlake Surgical team, and practice partners past and present.
The menu for the occasion was one of his choosing: a barbecue feast and a Gentilly Berry cake, with a side order of camaraderie.
Among those offering well wishes was Dr. Patrick Torcson, the health system’s chief medical officer, who remembered meeting Dr. Carpenter for the first time on Thanksgiving Day 1993 on the second floor of STHS’s flagship St. Tammany Parish Hospital.
“He came to us extremely well-trained as a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and then at Tulane in the era of Big Charity,” Dr. Torcson said in reflecting on that initial encounter. “Since then, we’ve seen his excellent surgical judgment and excellent surgical technique.”
One of Dr. Carpenter’s most endearing attributes, however, had nothing to do with his skill in the operating suite. It was his personality.
“Surprisingly,” Dr. Torcson said, “he was just a nice guy.”
Between the serving of the pulled pork and the cutting of the cake on Thursday, Dr. Carpenter was presented with a leather travel bag to use in retirement. In addition, he was given several items in playful recognition of his unlikely appreciation for hip-hop, his chosen musical genre during surgical procedures.
Among them: a bottle of Snoop Dogg wine, two Snoop Dogg cookbooks, and, of course, plenty of gin and juice.
“It’s been a privilege to work here. St. Tammany is a great place. The employees who work here, every one of them cares about the patient, more than at other hospitals,” Dr. Carpenter said, adding: “I’ve been at different hospitals over the years, and St. Tammany really is the best.”
In retirement, he said he plans to spend time with his mother in St. Louis, as well as hanging out with his grandchildren and visiting the beach.
Technically, his last day is Jan. 2, but Dionne Williams, vice president of the health system’s St. Tammany Physicians Network, said Dr. Carpenter’s retirement is already being felt.
“You have been a staple to this community,” Williams said. “You are already missed.”