Healing Connection with Eric Jepson, DO

with Eric Jepson, DO , written by Alyssa Shikles of Colorado Springs Magazine. Photography by: Meegan Dobson

It takes a skilled doctor to ease a worried patient’s mind. After all, no one visits the doctor for fun. You go because something’s wrong or because you’re afraid something’s wrong. You’re looking for hope in the midst of pain, for answers when your own body feels unknown and uncertain. In these moments of stress and anxiety, a good doctor—with a comforting word and a desire to meet patients where they are—can have an incredible emotional and physical impact.

For Eric Jepson, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Colorado Springs Orthopedic Group (CSOG), this is the most critical and challenging facet of his job. For him, fixing the body is easy; the hard part is gaining trust and making patients feel cared for.

When I sat down to talk with Dr. Jepson in CSOG’s south office a few weeks ago, I experienced first-hand how relational he is. There’s something about him that exudes not only kindness and understanding but relatability and genuine interest in others. He has a keen listening ear, and though I came to his office to interview him, I was surprised when he often flipped questions back on me. How long have I lived in Colorado Springs? Do I love the outdoors? How did I handle my first Colorado winter? He wanted to get to know me, and I felt seen.

This small interaction is just a sampling of how Dr. Jepson interacts with patients daily. But to him, making patients comfortable and being present for them is fundamental to his day-to-day work. Anyone can work with a scalpel or heal a wound if they study hard enough, but learning to connect with others relationally? That’s what makes a stand-out physician.