James Lau MD FACS
Academic Appointments
- Clinical Associate Professor, Surgery - General Surgery
Key Documents
Contact Information
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Clinical Offices
Bariatric & Metabolic Interdisciplinary Clinic 900 Blake Wilbur Drive Garden Level (Room W0048) Stanford, CA 94304 Tel Work (650) 736-5800 Fax (650) 723-8378
- Academic Offices
Personal Information Email Tel (650) 724-6490Alternate Contact Andrea Arias Administrative Associate Email Tel Work (650) 724-6490Not for medical emergencies or patient use
Professional Overview
Clinical Focus
- General Surgery
- Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive
- Gastrointestinal Surgery, Endoscopic
- Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery
- Bariatric Surgery
- Gastric Bypass
Administrative Appointments
- Director, Stanford ACS Education Institute/Goodman Simulation Center (2011 - present)
- Director, Core Clerkship in Surgery, Stanford School of Medicine (2011 - present)
- Associate Program Director, Stanford Surgery Residency (2011 - present)
Honors and Awards
- John Austin Collins, MD Memorial Teaching Award, Department of Surgery, Stanford School of Medicine (2012)
- John Austin Collins, MD Memorial Teaching Award, Department of Surgery, Stanford School of Medicine (2010)
- Poster of Distinction, SAGES Annual Meeting at Las Vegas, Nevada (2007)
- Faculty Teaching Award, Department of Surgery at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada (2006)
- Special Recognition for Teaching, Department of Surgery at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada (2005)
- Meritorious Service Medal, United States Air Force (2003)
Professional Education
| Fellowship: | Stanford University Medical Center CA (06/30/2007) |
| Board Certification: | General Surgery, American Board of Surgery (2003) |
| Residency: | Indiana University Medical Center IN (06/30/2002) |
| Internship: | Loyola University Medical Center IL (06/30/1996) |
| Medical Education: | Loyola Univ Of Chicago Stritch IL (06/10/1995) |
| BS: | University of CA, San Diego, Bio-Engineering (1990) |
Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations
Community and International Work
- Healthy Options for Prevention and Education, Las Vegas, Nevada
Industry Relationships
Stanford is committed to ethical and transparent interactions with our industrial and other commercial partners. It is our policy to disclose payments (exclusive of travel support) from, and/or equity in, companies or other commercial entities to Stanford faculty of $5,000 or more in total value, as well as any equity in a privately held company, when the faculty member also has institutional responsibilities related to his or her interactions with the company. View Full Information
Scientific Focus
Current Research Interests
Morbid obesity has proven to be one of the most preventable risk factors for cardiac events in both the adult and childhood populations. Associations between healthy food choices along with activity and obesity are known but not understood. This relationship in the younger population is important to discern to assist in obesity prevention efforts. Surgical weight loss is the only proven durable method to achieve co-morbidity resolution and weight loss in those that are morbidly obese. The understanding of how this is achieved physiologically and from an outcomes perspective are also areas of ongoing research.
We live in an exciting time of new techniques in minimal surgical access. These techniques are being practiced in basic as well as more advanced general surgical and bariatric procedures. Controlled studies of outcomes comparing standard approaches to these newer ones are the only way to validate these evolving and more cosmetically pleasing techniques.
The education of surgeons has been changing from a mentorship skills acquisition model towards a simulation first approach. The variety of methods to convey medical knowledge and technical prowess must be honed to provide the future surgeons with the most effective education in a world with more time constraints. Studies that explore new ways to improve standard education of surgical residents as well as novel approaches to teaching technical, team dynamics, and crisis management skills are essential toward the goal of producing a caring and skilled physician.
Publications
- Comparison of robotic and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery systems in a suturing and knot tying task. Surg Endosc. 2013
- Hemobilia from transjugular liver biopsy resulting in gallbladder rupture. Dig Dis Sci. 2013; (3): 630-3
- The effect of positive and negative verbal feedback on surgical skills performance and motivation. J Surg Educ. 2012 Nov-Dec; (6): 798-801
- Another use of the mobile device: warm-up for laparoscopic surgery. J Surg Res. 2011; (2): 185-8
- Potential nutritional conflicts in bariatric and renal transplant patients. Obes Surg. 2011; (12): 1965-70
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