Rugby native to join McKenzie Health

Submitted Photo Right to left: Dr. Gillian Lavik with her husband Tore Knudsen, and three sons: Silas Knudsen, Finn Knudsen and Gunnar Knudsen.
Dr. Gillian Lavik, a general surgeon originally from Rugby, will be joining McKenzie Health, in Watford City, starting October 2.
Lavik, the daughter of Richard and Joy Lavik, grew up in Rugby and graduated from Rugby High School in 2001.
While at Rugby High, she became interested and involved in the school’s EMT program. Shortly after joining, she realized medicine was her calling.
She went on to graduate from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2010, completing pre-medical education at Macalester College in Minnesota. Her internship and residency were completed at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, New York, where she served as chief resident in her graduate year.
Her skills include experience in surgical oncology, breast surgery, abdominal surgeries, and minimally invasive options for a wide range of procedures.
She is married with three children and enjoys all that the outdoors has to offer.
Lavik has been at Trinity Health Hospital in Minot for eight years.
“That was my first job out of residence,” said Lavik.
“One of the best parts about my job is meeting different people in the area and getting to take care of them, often times it is multiple generations of one family,” she added.
Lavik has done outreach through Trinity for several years and is looking forward to having that be the primary part of her practice.