Get to Know a BHC Doctor

Kevin Oliver, DO

Emergency Medicine

I was born in Enid, Ok. I did my undergraduate and graduate school here at Mizzou in chemistry and physical chemistry then back to Oklahoma State University for Medical School. I practiced full-time family practice and full-time emergency medicine in St. Charles County for 15 years then moved to Central Illinois where my wife’s family is. We spent 15 years there. Three years ago, we had two kids in school at Mizzou, and my wife decided that she wanted to move to Columbia; we’ve been here since, and we’ve loved it. I have three kids: one’s in art school in London, one’s in med school in Wichita, Kansas and one’s in pre-med here at Mizzou.

Why did you get into the health care field?

I was interested in health care because my father was a physician, but I also really enjoyed chemistry. I did great with chemistry, but I realized at the time that the people I was working with had worked with the same three people for 30 years, and I decided I liked people better than that. So I decided to pursue medicine, and I’m really glad that I did.

What interested you in your particular specialty?

I did family practice and emergency medicine full time for 15 years. They both have their benefits. Family practice is wonderful as far as relationships and consistency, but emergency medicine is contiguous — a one-flow process. I see a patient, order a test, get a result and discuss it with the patient. That just seems to work better for me. Also, the lifestyle is nice because in family practice, I was on call 24/7 365 days a year. In emergency medicine, I’m off when I’m off.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Helping people that really need help when they need help. It’s wonderful when someone comes in, I can actually do something to help them. It’s extremely rewarding.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

The electronic medical record. Documenting in the computer, dealing with the computer. I really like people more than computers. So, that’s obviously my biggest challenge, spending time away from my patients, having to do computer work.

What do you see changing in health care in the next 5 to 10 years?

That’s a much more difficult question. I see a greater shortage of physicians. Advanced practice providers are going to fill the gaps. I see a lot more involvement of AI. What I hope to see is people being empowered and encouraged to really start taking responsibility for their own health and their own wellbeing.

What advice would you give someone looking to become a doctor?

Do it because you’re passionate about it. When I started, being a physician was a calling. It’s a career, and it’s not just a job. It’s rewarding from many standpoints, but if you don’t like what you’re doing, it’s never going to be rewarding.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Spending time with my wife and my kids. I absolutely love spending time with them. One of the nice things about emergency medicine is you work hard, and you play hard. I enjoy water skiing, snow skiing, and wood working. I love projects. My wife says I’m a project person. If I have a project, I’m happy. I don’t do idle well.

What advice would you give to someone who is going to be a patient in a hospital for a period of time?

Be patient. The process does not go quickly. Be understanding. The people that are taking care of you want to be here because they like taking care of people. They might be overwhelmed, but understand that they’re doing the best they can. It also helps to have someone with you as much as possible. It’s nice to have another set of ears to hear what everybody has to say and to keep things organized. Write down your questions so when you see the provider, you’ll have all your questions ready.