A mission to serve: ED doctor honed people skills managing popular Newport Beach bar

In early adulthood, Dr. Ryan Gibney explored careers in music and the restaurant business, but he always dreamed of being a doctor, too. The desire to serve others, evident in his work as a bartender and restaurant manager, has led him to the doorstep of UCI Health — Irvine, the soon-to-open new hospital where he will serve as medical director in the emergency department (ED) after 10 years working in the UCI Health — Orange ED. Born in Arizona, Gibney moved to Orange County after high school. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at UC Irvine, where he completed a residency in emergency medicine. He now lives in Costa Mesa with his wife, daughter and two golden retrievers.

"There’s a photo of me in scrubs when I was 5. I always wanted to go into medicine but I took a couple of detours on the way to getting my degree.

I also loved creating music and started playing guitar when I was very young, emulating my dad. I still play every day. While exploring a music career, I had jobs in the restaurant industry, including 14 years at Baja Sharkeez in Newport Beach, where I became assistant general manager and learned both the public-facing and corporate sides of the business. I still rely on the skills I acquired there.

Healthcare, like the restaurant business, is rooted in service. It’s about taking time to understand and anticipate needs, to work with your team to deliver excellent results. It only takes five minutes to talk with someone and find out how they’re doing, which can make all the difference in the world. I chose emergency medicine because I like to think and act quickly, to see the results of my actions. A mentor told me that while lots of medical specialties could make me happy, finding my people would show me the path. The first time I worked in the ED in Orange, I realized I’d found them. We think alike, our personalities are complementary — it’s home.

Emergency medicine reminds me of working in busy restaurants. There are times when only a few people are around and it’s very peaceful. The next minute, 50 people are waiting to be served. It’s striking to realize how similar an ED can be. Leading the new ED in Irvine is a once-in-a-career opportunity to help develop the new hospital and our department from the ground up. As we prepare to open the doors, we are examining every process to do things even better, to provide care in novel ways. EDs can often be dark and closed off. But our patients in Irvine will see a bright architectural showcase. It will have state-of-the-art monitoring systems and integrated technologies to help make everything we do virtually seamless.

I want everyone in this ED, regardless of their role, to feel engaged and empowered to help in whatever way they can. We’re all responsible for anticipating patients’ needs and enhancing each person’s experience. I know that each member of our Irvine team will bring their expertise and deliver the best healthcare possible."