Samantha M. Barry, MSN, APRN

I’ve always loved the idea of surgery. The order and the complexity, excited me. I like the twist of bariatric (or weight loss) surgery because it includes long-term follow-up visits. I get to make relationships with patients and know them for a long time. We want to send them home with enough information to be successful and to feel like they can take care of themselves independently. It's very rewarding and a good fit for me.

Half of my job is education. When I see patients, I try to make things as clear and easy to understand as possible. It's often hard for patients to take everything in, and it's easy for them to get overwhelmed, so I just try to support people. I am a very good listener and really let people open up, not just spew information. Patients appreciate that I take the time to explain things and make them feel comfortable.

We have a great program here at Cheshire. Everybody cares a lot and really puts the patient first. It's very rewarding listening to how happy people are with their results. I enjoy seeing people feel better about themselves, hearing that they have more energy and feel better physically and emotionally.