A Bassett Love Story: Drs. Stephanie and Luis Oceguera Share their Journey as Partners and Surgeons on Valentine's Day

Drs. Stephanie and Luis Oceguera may specialize in bariatric and colorectal surgery, but their journey as surgeons at Bassett Medical Center is one that is close to the heart.

The Ocegueras, who are married and have built a life and family together in Cooperstown, met at Bassett during their residency training more than 18 years ago. Luis, who came to Bassett for a five-year general surgery residency from sunny California, had no plans to stay. "When I arrived in Cooperstown, I had no intention of staying any longer than I needed to and counted the months until I could leave," he says. "But I fell completely in love with Bassett and Cooperstown."

Luis had also fallen in love with Stephanie, a fellow surgical resident who was three years ahead of him in her training.

They don't work in the same operating room every day, but when they do, Stephanie and Luis are a double force – she focuses on detail work, weaving every instrument, incision, and corrective action into a delicate healing art, ever the skilled surgeon. Luis, on the other hand, keeps the big picture in mind, orchestrating the team and entire operation to manage complex procedures, overseeing dozens of supporting team members, and keeping OR schedules moving.

Their decades-long love story, like their work together in surgery, has been a dance – leading and following, giving and taking, and sharing moments that have shaped them as professionals and people.

Love at First…Site Visit

"The day I interviewed for my residency in Cooperstown, I was part of a group of applicants receiving a tour of the hospital," Luis says. "Stephanie was our tour guide that day. We did not speak to each other for the first time until I began my residency six months later, but after that interview tour, I went home to Fullerton, California and told my roommate at the time I had met the woman I want to marry."

Stephanie has no recollection of this day. "I don't specifically recall meeting Luis at all," she laughs. "He told me much later that he knew he would marry me after this day."

During their residency training, Stephanie and Luis grew closer. They worked together regularly. "Luis was always pleasant, had a great sense of humor, and made people feel at ease," she says. "He was also very efficient and hard-working. We worked well together because he is good at keeping the big picture in mind, while I tend to focus on details."

A Secret Romance

In her fifth year, Stephanie was named chief surgical resident. At the same time, she and Luis started dating.

"We kept it a secret," she says. "I went to great lengths not to show Luis favoritism. He ended up being on call more, got more work assigned to him, and probably got fewer cases assigned to him overall. But he took it all in stride with a smile on his face."

"We worked together as a couple in residency for one year," says Luis. "As much as we tried to keep things private, word eventually got out. We learned quickly to separate our private life from our professional life."

After Stephanie finished her residency, she went to the University of Virginia to complete a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery. Luis remained in Cooperstown to continue his residency. The couple maintained their relationship long-distance. 

After completing his residency in Cooperstown, Luis pursued a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. After his fellowship, he returned to Cooperstown. "I couldn't imagine practicing medicine anywhere else – and with anyone else," Luis says.

Coming Home

Stephanie and Luis joined Bassett Medical Center as attending surgeons in 2008 and 2012, respectively. Over the years, they have worked to build their practices and become part of the fabric of their beloved Cooperstown community. They married in 2011 in Minneapolis.

Today, Stephanie and Luis have been married for 12 years. They have a nine-year-old daughter, Isabelle, and they live in Cooperstown. In their free time, they enjoy hiking, biking, boating, traveling, going on mission trips, and spending time with family. Neither regrets their decision to stay at Bassett.

"The caregivers we work with have so much heart, and they are dedicated to serving our community and patients," said Stephanie. "We are a teaching hospital with many of the amenities you would find in a large urban hospital, but here…we can breathe. We enjoy our life together."

"Working at Bassett has been a fulfilling experience," says Luis. "This organization has offered me amazing opportunities to grow my career and be the best doctor I can be. I practice medicine in a beautiful setting alongside a wonderful team. Most of all, I am grateful that Bassett led me to my wife. We have built a family and life together that I would never change for anything."

Luis is now the Chief of Surgery for Bassett Healthcare Network. Stephanie is Medical Director for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. "I may be the boss at work," Luis chuckles. "But you better believe Stephanie's the boss at home."