From Olympics to Orthopedics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The Winter Olympics kicks off Friday and one local doctor plans to attend, but this doctor isn't just going as a fan, she's going as a former medalist.

Dr. Debi Thomas works for UAP Clinic in Terre Haute as an orthopedic surgeon. However, long before she put on her scrubs, she put on skates.

"I knew I wanted to skate when I was five, I knew I wanted to be a doctor when I was five, and I realize now that's not normal thing," Dr. Debi Thomas said.

Thomas was one of the world's most popular female athletes in the 1980s after winning the national and world championships.

"I guess I was hooked after that and just decided and take it as far as I could take it," Dr.Thomas said.

She took it as far as the 1988 Olympics. She became a bronze medalist, she became the first black athlete to win a medal at the Winter Games, and she became America's Sweetheart.

However, the way she remembers the Olympic moment may surprise you.

"My Olympics is not my favorite performance by any means, it's probably my least favorite," Dr. Thomas said. "Look at it this way, if i had gone out and just skated the performance of my life and got the bronze medal, I would love the bronze medal, but I didn't."

Instead, Dr. Thomas applied the lessons learned in the Olympics to Orthopedics.

"I go into a case and I always have plan a,b,c,d,and e because things can change very quickly," Dr. Thomas said. "People that succeed are the ones that can take the failures and pick themselves up and look at and say what can I learn from this and how do I get to where I want to be."

Dr. Thomas made it to the exam room, a place she said is exactly where she wants to be.