Dr. Montag likes being outside with his family – on a bike, skis, maybe even a go kart.
Get to know the newest member of our ENT team, who cares for adults and kids. (Inside).
Appointments in the Northfield, Faribault and Lakeville clinics: (952) 469-0500
First job? In high school I worked at a go kart track. I liked working outdoors. I’d clean and gas up the go karts, and do the loudspeaker safety instructions. If people spun out on the track, I'd go out there and do a little rescue. I learned how to be part of a team, to have some responsibility, and how to respect the bosses.
Free time? I like being outdoors with my family and our dog. I like to bike a lot – mountain biking, road biking, fat tire. I also have a stand-up bike that looks like an elliptical on wheels. I also enjoy skiing, both cross-country and downhill.
Favorite part of your job? I like making a connection with a patient, and then being able to help them with a problem and see them get better. I always try to find some sort of way that we can connect during the visit. That helps build trust, and makes the day more interesting, too.
Best advice you ever got? To practice gratitude and be grateful for things. It can help make it easier to cope with challenges when you recognize all the good that there is in your life.
Why healthcare? I was always interested in biology and science. And when I was 10 years old, my mother went back to school to become a nurse. That inspired me.
If not healthcare, what would you be doing? I went to school to be a biomedical engineer, and thought I might go into research, the technology side of healthcare. But I like the personal aspects of seeing patients every day, so I chose that path instead. In engineering, you’re part of the process of developing technology, but you never really get to see it in use and how it benefits an individual person. Still, I would enjoy that way of helping people.
Or maybe I’d be a park ranger.
https://www.northfieldhospital.org/ear-nose-and-throat-ent-otolaryngology