Dr. Douglas Mellinger, DO

What I DoMy clinical interest is in surgical treatment of acquired adult heart disease, including coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, diseases of the great vessels and arrhythmias.Safety and quality of life guide my treatment plan with every patient. Defining those things for each patient requires a healthy exchange of information. By providing each patient and family with easily understandable information about their medical problems and details on potential solutions, I can learn about their specific needs and concerns and ultimately tailor the approach to treatment for each individual. Through our discussions, we can ensure that reality and expectations are balanced, leading to the highest levels of satisfaction during recovery and beyond.Why I Love My WorkMedicine provides me with a continuous flow of new and different problems to solve and it allows me to positively impact people’s lives by solving these problems. Seeing my patients resume the things they love to …do and getting back with friends and family is very rewarding to me.I chose CentraCare because it offered me the opportunity to practice state-of-the-art cardiac surgery in a great environment, with a great team and in a great community.Getting to Know MeAs a freshman in college, I started working in heart surgery at a research lab at the University of Minnesota. I was exposed early on to many wonderful role models and mentors who encouraged me and supported me in pursuing not only a career in medicine but to ultimately become a heart surgeon.Outside of work, I enjoy hockey, golf, boating and cooking. St. Cloud is close to everything — lakes, woods and the Twin Cities — making it a convenient location. Also, I’m a big hockey fan so being right in the middle of the state of hockey works out pretty nicely!