[4] Her autobiography, The Scalpel and the Silver Bear, has brought increased attention to her career as a surgeon and has sold over 50,000 copies.
[15] She graduated from Dartmouth College in 1979 after double majoring in psychology and sociology, and minoring in Native American studies.
[18] After studying medicine at Stanford University, Dr. Alvord returned to her Navajo reservation in New Mexico only to learn that, despite the importance of her technical proficiency in surgery, simply "fixing" the physical problem was not sufficient to fully cure a patient.
This led to a more holistic approach to medicine that took into account the patient's environment and relationships, and also incorporated artwork and nature into the hospital's design.
We should also avoid the things that are wrong, that cause stress — no harsh sounds, no bright lights, no invasive overhead paging.
[19] From 2010 to 2012, Dr. Alvord served as the Associate Dean of the Central Michigan University College of Medicine,[16][20] which opened during the Fall 2013 semester.
[16] In 1999, Dr. Alvord was the recipient of the American Medical Writers Association the 2000 Will Solimene Award of Excellence, for the publication "Warp and Weft", an excerpt from The Scalpel and the Silver Bear.
[16] In 2000, Dr. Alvord was the recipient of Circles Book Award from Georgia College and State University for her autobiography, The Scalpel and the Silver Bear.