Stanford General Surgery News Center
In the News
– Department of Cardiothoracic SurgeryStanford Performs First PITAC Procedure for Mesothelioma in North America
Learn how we are healing patients through science & compassion
– Division of General SurgeryAlumni Spotlight: Sunnie Wong, MD, PhD
Alumna Sunnie Wong (Class of 2024) is the recent recipient of the Plastic Surgery Foundation’s Pilot Research Grant. We learn about her lab and her advice for current residents.
– SurgeryINSIDE: Holman26
Stanford Surgery's annual celebration of science, Holman Day, took place on Friday, June 5, 2026 with Dr. Ginny Bumgardner as the keynote lecturer.
– SurgeryRobotic Surgery: From Training to Innovation with Dr. Aaron Dawes
Dr. Aaron Dawes discusses his work as Stanford's Director of Robotic Education, where he's transforming the curriculum. He also shares insights on performing California's first single-port colectomy and the future of minimally invasive surgical technology.
– SurgeryDr. Foster Receives SSAT Career Development Award
Dr. Deshka Foster is this year’s recipient of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) Career Development Award.
– SurgeryINSIDE: NCCACS26
General Surgery Resident Dr. Daniel Ahn took second place in the Thomas Russell Surgical Trainee Research Competition at the annual meeting of the Northern California Chapter of the ACS.
– SurgeryINSIDE: ASCRS26
Faculty and trainees from Stanford’s Division of General Surgery Colorectal Section presented at the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons' annual meeting in Tampa, FL, this year.
– SurgeryNew Medicaid Policy Could Leave Cancer Patients with Tens of Thousands in Medical Bills, Study Finds
New research, led by Dr. Aaron Dawes, highlights the financial risks associated with reducing Medicaid's retroactive eligibility period for newly diagnosed gastrointestinal cancer patients.
– SurgeryGenSurg Recognized at 2026 GME Awards
Five members of the General Surgery Residency Team were recognized at the 2026 GME Awards Ceremony on May 13.
– SurgeryDr. Delitto Awarded NIC R37
Dr. Dan Delitto has received an R37 MERIT Award from the National Cancer Institute for his research project, "Reprogramming inflammatory fibroblasts to overcome therapeutic resistance in pancreatic adenocarcinoma PDAC."
– SurgeryDr. Kin Assumes Leadership of Colorectal Section
After a national search, Stanford Surgery's next Chief of Colorectal Surgery will be Dr. Cindy Kin. Kin is taking over from Dr. Andy Shelton, who has led the section for the last seven years.
– SurgeryStaff Awards '25
Administrative Division Manager for General Surgery Ivette Arenas and Department Human Resources Administrator Anna Noriega are the inaugural recipients of the Stanford Surgery Staff Awards.
– SurgeryStanford Surgery Strengthens Academic and Research Collaboration in Montréal
A Stanford Surgery delegation traveled to Montréal last week to advance a growing collaboration with the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) and the Université de Montréal’s surgical and medical research programs. The visit focused on expanding joint clinical innovation, research exchange, and future opportunities for trainee engagement between the two institutions.
– SurgeryDr. Kimura Receives ACS Resident Research Scholarship
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Scholarships Committee selected Dr. Cintia Kimura as a recipient of the 2026-2028 ACS Resident Research Scholarship.
– CAP ProfilesDr. Kirane Promoted!
Dr. Amanda Kirane has been promoted to Associate Professor in the Division of General Surgery, effective January 1, 2026.
– SurgerySpotlight: Dr. Chloe Nobuhara
General Surgery Resident Dr. Chloe Nobuhara talks about her work quantifying and improving surgical performance with AI. The Surgical Objective Assessment and Review (SOAR) webapp is a collaboration with the SAVE program for Wellcome Leap and uses computer vision to segment surgical operations into steps for efficient video review and quantify performance.
– News CenterMental and physical coaching before surgery prepares immune system, reduces complications
A Stanford Medicine-led trial found that a few weeks of personalized prehab improved patients’ physical and cognitive resilience before surgery, with noticeable changes in their immune system. Dr. Cindy Kin is featured.
– Stanford Cancer InstituteFoster returns to Stanford to lead surgical cancer research
A surgeon-scientist returns to Stanford to advance cancer research by connecting surgical care with lab discoveries.
– Department of Medicine NewsStanford-HBMC RISE Awards 2025
The Stanford-HBMC Program celebrates the awardees of the 2025 Recognizing Individuals for Support and Empowerment (RISE) Awards, recognizing faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and residents who demonstrated exceptional mentorship to visiting medical students from Historically Black Medical Colleges (HBMCs) including our own Dr. Amanda Kirane.
– SurgeryStanford Breast Surgery Program Goes Global
Stanford's Breast Surgery Team gave the world’s first live demonstration of omental breast reconstruction with nipple neurotization at the 2025 Chang Gung Microsurgery Conference in Taiwan last week.
– Ozempic Could Prevent Diabetes. Should It Be Used for That?Ozempic Could Prevent Diabetes. Should It Be Used for That?
New research shows that weight loss medications can stop the progression of prediabetes. Features Dr. Michelle Hauser.
– SurgeryStanford Surgeons Perform Ex-Vivo Liver Surgery to Remove Tumor
Surgeons at Stanford Health Care recently conducted a novel ex-vivo liver surgery to remove a benign tumor from a patient. The procedure involved the complete removal of the liver from the patient, resection of the tumor outside the body, and subsequent re-implantation of the liver.
– Department of Medicine NewsREACH-HBMC Celebrates Summer 2024 Research Mentors
The 2024 RISE (Recognizing Individuals for Support and Empowerment) Awards honor exceptional mentors in the Stanford REACH-HBMC Summer Research Program. Check out the 2024 awardees!
– SurgerySharma Receives U54 Brain MetNet Seed Grant
Saurabh Sharma, PhD has received a grant from the Stanford Brain Metastasis Consortium (SBMC) Seed Grant Program. The $50,000 will fund his project "Melanoma Brain Metastases: Overcoming Key Obstacles."
– SurgerySpotlight: Dr. Brendan Visser
Dr. Visser is one of Stanford Surgery’s Global Surgery icons and is active in promoting surgical skills and the strengthening of HPB training and service development on an international scale.
– SurgeryDrs. Grantcharov and Yeung Receive Funding to develop AI-Assisted Surgery Training
Drs. Teodor Grantcharov and Serena Yeung’s project—Towards AI-Assisted Surgery and Surgical Training—has been selected for funding by AIMI and HAI.
– CAP ProfilesDr. Seib Promoted to Associate Professor
Dr. Carolyn Dacey Seib of the Division of General Surgery has been promoted to Associate Professor, UML effective January 1, 2024.
– SurgeryDr. Hawn Receives Award for Abdominal Wall Reconstruction
Dr. Mary Hawn is the recipient of the 2024 MedStar Georgetown Distinguished Achievement Award in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (AWR).
– Stanford SurgeryDr. Hindin is Associate Chair of Innovation
Dr. David Hindin, a clinical assistant professor in the Division of General Surgery, will serve as the Department’s inaugural associate chair of innovation. “David will be working alongside [Dr.] Carla Pugh and the innovation council to accelerate the impact of Stanford Surgery on the future of surgery,” wrote Dr. Hawn in her announcement to the faculty.
– SurgeryLabeled Scrub Caps Team Receives 2023 ISP Star Award
The Labeled Scrub Caps Team is the recipient of a 2023 ISP Star Award. This honor recognizes individuals and teams who, through extraordinary effort and immense skill, embody the strategic priorities of Stanford's Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP).
– SurgeryInterdisciplinary Colorectal Team Awarded Equity Seed Grant
Drs. Aaron Dawes, Arden Morris, and Sandra Zaky have been awarded a 2022 Stanford Community Impact Research Cancer Health Equity Seed Grant.
– Surgery"Great Saves" Added to Department M&M
The Department of Surgery is adding a "Great Saves" component to its monthly Morbidity and Mortality Conference (M&M). Starting in 2023, each M&M will begin with a Great Save Presentation highlighting instances when a team works together to achieve an excellent patient outcome.
– SurgeryDr. Maggio Appointed Clinical Professor
Dr. Paul Maggio has been appointed Clinical Professor in Surgery in the School of Medicine effective December 1, 2022.
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General Surgery Residency Leadership Team Updates
Drs. John Gahagan and Cara Liebert have joined the General Surgery Residency Program's leadership team as Associate Program Directors (APDs).
– Third Annual ISSPP Congress 2022Dr. Sun Receives Award at ISSPP22
General Surgery Resident Dr. Beatrice Sun received the award for top plenary by a trainee at the International Society for the Study of the Pleura and Peritoneum (ISSPP) annual meeting. Her abstract was titled: “Safety of Cytoreductive Surgery with Heated Intraperitoneal Gemcitabine and Systemic Dacarbazine for Recurrent Uterine Leiomyosarcoma – Preliminary Results of a Phase 2 Trial." The meeting took place in Huntington Beach, CA on October 13, 2022.
– SurgeryDr. Eisenberg is lead author on new Bariatric Surgery Guidelines
Dr. Dan Eisenberg is the lead author on new guidelines for metabolic and bariatric surgery from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO).
– 2023 Stata Conference StanfordDr. Tennakoon Elected to STATA Scientific Committee
Lakshika Tennakoon, MD, MPhil was elected to the Scientific Committee for the 2023 Stata Conference. The conference will be held on July 20–21 in Stanford, California.
– ACSDr. Wren Elected ACS Secretary
Dr. Sherry Wren has been elected Secretary of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Regents. The ACS Board consists of 24 members. According to their website, the Regents formulate policy and direct the affairs of the college.
– Division of General SurgeryDr. Lin Promoted to Assoc. Professor
Dr. Dana Lin has been promoted to Clinical Associate Professor effective November 1, 2022. Dr. Lin specializes in endocrine surgery in the Division of General Surgery.
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A Journey Around the Globe with Dr. Cara Liebert
Dr. Dana Lin and Dr. Cara Liebert are Co-Principal Investigators awarded the Department of Surgery’s first Center for Innovation in Global Health Global Surgery Seed Grant.
– SurgeryDr. Pugh named VC of Innovation
Dr. Carla Pugh has been named the new Vice Chair of Innovation in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Pugh has been an innovation council member since its inception and is Director of the TECI Center.
– SurgeryDr. Staudenmayer Appointed Vice Chair of the Trauma Systems Evaluation and Planning Committee
Dr. Kristan Staudenmayer has been appointed Vice Chair of the Trauma Systems Evaluation and Planning Committee. The committee is part of the the American College of Surgeon's Committee on Trauma (ACS COT).
– SurgeryDr. Kirane Receives SCI Grant
Dr. Amanda Kirane received a 2022 ACS IRG Pilot Grant from the Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI). The award will support her proposal, “Biomarker Analysis of Neoadjuvant Intralesional Therapy in High-Risk Melanoma."
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Drs. Hawn, Pugh Elected to NAM
Drs. Mary Hawn and Carla Pugh have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
– SurgeryDr. Seib Receives K76 Award in Aging
Dr. Carolyn Seib received the National Institute on Aging K76 Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging.
– SurgerySurgery, OBGYN combine for new Global Surgery/OBGYN Rotation
The Departments of General Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology (ObGyn) have combined resources to create a new elective rotation designed to give general surgeons the tools they need to provide life-saving obstetric and gynecologic surgical care in low-resource settings, both abroad and in the US.
– SurgeryDr. Baiu Named Top 10 Finalist for ACS Resident Teaching Award
General surgery resident Dr. Ioana Baiu has been named a Top 10 finalist for the American College of Surgeons Resident Award for Exemplary Teaching for the second year in a row.
– SurgeryDr. Weiser Assumes new Director of Global Engagement Role
Dr. Tom Weiser will serve as the inaugural Director of Global Engagement for the Department of Surgery. In this role, he will facilitate collaboration and expansion in education, research, clinical training, and innovation that can elevate the profile of Stanford Surgery and advance our mission around the globe.
– SurgeryDr. Kirane joins Surgical Oncology
Dr. Amanda Kirane will join the Department's Surgical Oncology Section effective September 1, 2021. She will be the Director of Cutaneous Surgical Oncology.
– SurgeryDr. Forrester Wins SIS Foundation Junior Faculty Clinical Research Fellowship Award
Dr. Joe Forrester received the Surgical Infection Society (SIS) Foundation's Junior Faculty Clinical Research Fellowship Award. The grant will fund his proposal “Using species distribution models to predict the distribution of infection with MRSA and C.difficile in the United States."
– SurgeryDr. Wren Elected ISS Fellow
The International Society of Surgery (ISS/SIC) Council has elected Dr. Sherry Wren as Fellow of the International Society of Surgery.
– SurgeryHail to the Chief: Dr. Lisa Knowlton
Dr. Lisa Knowlton was elected Chair of the Associate Member Council of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) earlier this year.
– SurgeryWeiser, Lifebox Awarded Gates Grand Challenge Award
Lifebox, the international safer surgery nonprofit, has received a Gates Grand Challenge Award with Dr. Tom Weiser as Principal Investigator.
– SurgeryOR Team Wins Patient Safety Star Award
An OR team was the winner of Stanford Health Care's October 2020 Patient Safety Star Award. The team consisted of Dr. Sophia Turkmani-Bazzi, Dr. Will Watkins, Anne Marie Lycan RN, Don Williams RN, Monica Smith, and our own Drs. David Spain, Carlie Arbaugh, and Ioana Baiu.
– SurgeryHail to the Chief: Dr. David Spain
Dr. David Spain was elected President of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma in September 2019.
– ScopeReducing Surgical Site Infections in Low-Resource Settings
After an inspirational experience working with a family medicine doctor in Nepal as a medical student, Jared Forrester, MD, knew he wanted to spend more time focusing on global health during his surgical residency at Stanford Medicine.
– SurgeryDr. August Appointed to CSSP Education Committee
Dr. Auriel August has been appointed to the American College of Surgeons' (ACS) Cancer Standard Surgery Program (CSSP) Education Committee for a three-year term.
– ScopePost-Surgical Abdominal Adhesions: A Potential Cause and Possible Treatment
Postdoctoral scholar Deshka Foster, MD, PhD; plastic and reconstructive surgeon Michael Longaker, MD; and pathologist Gerlinde Wernig, MD, have identified a molecular pathway involved in adhesion formation in mice and humans, and found that inhibiting the activity of a protein called JUN can substantially reduce the formation of adhesions in a mouse model.
– SurgeryBiohub Fellowship Program Selects Dr. Stoltz
Dr. Daniel Stoltz has been selected by the Chan Zuckerberg (CZ) Biohub to participate in their Physician-Scientist Fellowship Program.
– SurgeryDr. Narayan awarded AΩA Fellowship
Dr. Raja Narayan has been awarded a 2020 Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) Postgraduate Fellowship. The fellowship provides $2,000 to support his research.
– SurgeryDr. Titan Finalist for PCSA Resident's Award
Dr. Ashley Titan, a general surgery resident, is a finalist for the Pacific Coast Surgical Association's (PCSA) Resident's Prize. Titan will present her work, "Surgery For Locally Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (pNETS)," at the PCSA's 91st Annual Meeting in Carlsbad CA in February 2020.
– SurgeryDr. Narayan Selected to Serve on JOGS Editorial Board
Dr. Raja Narayan, a general surgery resident, has been selected to serve as the Senior Resident Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.
– SurgeryDr. Wong Receives AAS Travel Award
General Surgery Resident Dr. Sunnie Wong has received a 2019 Travel Award from the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS). The award includes complimentary registration to attend the AAS Fall Course this October as well as a stipend to help allay travel costs.
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No Photos With Residency Or Fellowship Applications
Stanford University's Department of Surgery has committed to reviewing all fellowship and residency applications sans the customary photo.
– SurgeryDr. Jopling Named Chassin Award Finalist
Dr. Jeffrey Jopling was named a top 10 finalist for the 2019 Jameson L. Chassin, MD, FACS, Award for Professionalism in General Surgery.
June 14, 2019
Resident Accepted Into HSR Training Program
Dr. Kirbi Yelorda, a resident in the Division of General Surgeon, has been accepted into the Stanford-AHRQ Health Services Research Program. Supported by a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, trainees are not only supported financially but intellectually as well through a diverse coterie of mentors. General Surgery Residents Drs. Miquell Miller and Lindsay Sceats are also trainees in the program.
June 4, 2019
Two General Surgery Trainees Awarded Excellence in Research Award from American College of Surgeons
Two General Surgery Trainees have won an Excellence in Research Award from the American College of Surgeons' 2019 Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum.
Dr. Deshka Foster was awarded the excellence in research award in Surgical Oncology for the second year in a row. Her abstract is entitled “Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Persist but Show Decreased Fibroblast Activation Protein Expression after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.” Dr. Foster is also a PhD candidate in Dr. Michael Longaker's Lab.
Dr. Charles Liu's abstract "Out-of-Pocket Spending by Surgical Patients Following Implementation of the Affordable Care Act Insurance Marketplaces" has been selected for an Excellence in Research Award for the category of Health Services Research.
June 4, 2019
Dr. Poultsides to succeed Dr. Norton as SurgOnc Chief
After almost 16 years, Dr. Jeff Norton will be stepping down as Chief of the Surgical Oncology Section. Dr. George Poultsides will be stepping into the position effective June 1, 2019.
May 24, 2019
Dr. Eisenberg Receives Merit Grant
Dr. Dan Eisenberg, an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery, was awarded a 3-year $750,000 VA HSR & D Merit Grant.
"Appropriate detection and management of obesity in veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) relies on consistent measurement of body mass index (BMI) and proper interpretation of BMI when it is assessed," said Dr. Eisenberg. "Our goal is to assess the quality of guideline-concordant obesity screening in veterans with SCI who receive care in the Veterans Health Administration to understand why some VA facilities do better than others in screening and to evaluate the need for adjusted BMI-based morbidity risk zones for individuals with SCI."
May 24, 2019
Dr. Wren Invited to Serve on WHO Panel
Dr. Sherry Wren, a professor in the Division of General Surgery, has been invited to serve as a member of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Expert Advisory Panel on Surgical Care and Anaesthesia for a four-year term. According to the WHO website, panel members contribute "by correspondence technical information on developments in his or her field, and to offer advice as appropriate, spontaneously or upon request."
May 2, 2019
Dr. Kebebew new Editor in Chief of Thyroid, the official journal of the American Thyroid Association
Division of General Surgery Chair Dr. Electron Kebebew has accepted the position of the next Editor in Chief of Thyroid, the official journal of the American Thyroid Association. Dr. Kebebew has served as an Associate Editor at Thyroid since 2012. He will take over responsibility from current Editor in Chief Dr. Peter Kopp as of the January 2020 journal issue.
April 24, 2019
General Surgery Residency Program Appoints New Director
Dr. Marc Melcher has decided to step down from his role as Program Director of the General Surgery Residency Program. Click here for the full story.
April 22, 2019
Stanford Surgical Resident Featured in Forbes
For the fully story on Dr. August click here
March 14, 2019
Dr. Seib Joins Endocrine Team
Dr. Carolyn Dacey Seib will join Stanford Division of General Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the MCL effective April 28. Seib earned her medical degree at New York University before completing her residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Most recently, she was a clinical instructor at UCSF and Director of their Endocrine Surgery Clinical Immersive Experience (CIEx) rotation for 3rd-year medical students.
"We are delighted to have Dr. Seib join Stanford. She is a gifted surgeon and educator," said Chief of General Surgery Dr. Electron Kebebew. "We also look forward to her scholarly work impacting patient care on the endocrine service."
February 14, 2019
Asia Game Changers Awards West Honors Dr. So
Dr. Samuel So, director of the Asian Liver Center, has been chosen as a 2019 Asia Game Changer West Awards Honoree. Dr. So will officially be given the award at the Asian Game Changer West Gala on April 9. According to their website, the event "identifies and honors true leaders who are making a positive contribution to the future of Asia."
January 18, 2019
Dr. Staudenmeyer Joins MX Advisory Committee.
Dr. Kristan Staudenmeyer, an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery, was recently elected to the Manifest MedEx (MX) Advisory Committee. MX is California’s largest health information exchange. As a committee member, Staudenmeyer will provide MX with guidance on key decisions and policies and in turn will have unique access to the world of health information and policy.
January 14, 2019
General Surgery Residency Announces Clinical Collaboration with Intermountain Health
Starting in May, Stanford’s General Surgery Residency Program will include a new elective surgical endoscopy rotation with Intermountain Healthcare (IMH).
“The Stanford General Surgery Residency Program trains doctors to become the leaders and surgeons of the future,” said said Dr. Mark Ott, chief medical director at IMH. “Part of the surgical future is exposing all of us to a world where different healthcare systems collaborate to deliver even better care locally and at a distance.”
December 6, 2018
Dr. Wren Receives WISA #SheforShe Award
Dr. Sherry Wren was the inaugural recipient of the #SheforShe award from the Women Surgeons in Africa (WISA) for supporting the development of women surgeons in the region.
"I was totally surprised and super excited about this," said Wren. "It has been incredible to see the growth of women surgeons in the COSESCA region."
COSECSA is the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa. This year, 13% of surgery trainees are women—the highest percentage to date.
November 5, 2018
2 General Surgeons Awarded Seed Grants
The Department of Surgery has awarded 6 surgeons grants as part of the new Seed Grant Program. Two of them are from the Division of General Surgery: Drs. Dan Azagury and Marc Melcher were each given between $10,000 and $50,000 to fund their research for the next 12 months.
"The quality of the abstracts submitted was outstanding," said Vice Chair of Basic and Translation Research Dr. Geoffrey Gurtner. "We had 33 submissions and probably 20-25 of them were worthy of funding. We are very disappointed that we could not fund more."
October 24, 2018
Dr. Foster Wins ACSCC Excellence in Research Award
Dr. Deshka Foster, a professional development resident in the Division of General Surgery, received the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress Excellence in Research Award. The award is given to the top scoring abstracts submitted for presentation at the Congress. Dr. Foster won in the surgical oncology category for her abstract "Clonal Analysis of Local Fibroblasts in Wound Healing and Tumor Stroma."
October 8, 2018
ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators Selects Three Stanford Surgeons
Three Stanford Surgeons were selected to join the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators: Dr. Jim Korndorffer, vice chair of education, Dr. Jim Lau, director of the Goodman Surgical Education Center, and Dr. Carla Pugh, director of the Technology Enabled Clinical Improvement Center. The academy was created in 2014 "to recognize and assemble a cadre of Master Surgeon Educators of national and international renown who will work closely with the ACS Division of Education to advance the science and practice of avant-garde surgical education and training." Drs. Lau and Pugh were inducted as part of the inaugural class.
October 1, 2018
Dr. Spain Voted President-Elect of AAST
Dr. David Spain, chief of Stanford's Acute Care Surgery Section, was voted president-elect of The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST). Dr. Spain will assume the presidency at the end of the AAST business meeting in September 2019 and will preside over the 2020 meeting in Hawaii.
"This is a great testament to his leadership and impact on the field," said Department of Surgery Chair Dr. Mary Hawn.
September 11, 2018
Dr. Staudenmayer Appointed to HCRT Study Section for AHRQ
Dr. Kristan Staudenmayer, an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery, has been appointed to the Health Care Research Training (HCRT) Study Section for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The study section reviews research training and career development grants.
"[This appointment] is a testament to her outstanding work and being a thought leader in the field," said General Surgery Division Chief Dr. Electron Kebebew.
September 6, 2018
Dr. Hong Receives Immunology T32
Dr. Wan Xing Hong, a professional development resident in the Division of General Surgery, was awarded an Immunology T32 from the National Institutes of Health to study immunotherapy in solid tumors. The grant is for approximately $49,000 for 1 year, with the option to apply for renewal.
"I will be studying neoadjuvant application of locally administered immunotherapy in solid tumors, starting with the triple negative breast cancer mouse model," said Hong. "As a general surgery resident, I frequently help care for patients suffering from a variety of different tumors; these experiences really drive home the clinical relevance of the questions that we ask each day in lab."
September 4, 2018
Dr. Zak Joins General Surgery
Dr. Yulia Zak will join the Division of General Surgery's Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery section as a Clinical Assistant Professor effective December 1, 2018. Dr. Zak graduated from Stanford's General Surgery Residency Program in 2014 before completing her fellowship in MIS at Massachusetts General Hospital. Most recently Dr. Zak was a member of the faculty at Mount Sinai.
August 27, 2018
Dr. Kopecky Wins AΩA Postgraduate Fellowship
General Surgery Resident Dr. Kimberly Kopecky was awarded a 2018 Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) Postgraduate Fellowship for her project titled: Interactive Communication Curriculum for Surgical Residents. Kopecky will receive $2,000 over the next two years to support her research.
July 16, 2018
Dr. Chandler Receives Funding From CHRI
Dr. Julia Chandler, a professional development resident in the Division of General Surgery, has been named the Ernest and Amelia Gallo Endowed Postdoctoral Fellow by the Child Health Research Institute (CHRI). Chandler will receive $105,000 to support her study "Improving Care for Pediatric Trauma Patients: Screening and Secondary Prevention for Post-Traumatic Stress."
July 9, 2018
Dr. Choi AAST Receives Research and Education Foundation Scholarship
Division of General Surgery Resident Dr. Jeff Choi (PGY2) was the recipient of one of nine Research and Education Foundation Scholarships from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST). The scholarship will facilitate Choi's attendance at the AAST's annual meeting.
"This year, the AAST annual meeting will be held in conjunction with the World Trauma Congress in San Diego, where I hope to learn more about trauma surgery and especially, connect with trauma surgeons from South Korea," said Choi.
July 6, 2018
Dr. Shelton Named Colorectal Surgery Section Chief
The Division of General Surgery's Dr. Andrew Shelton has been named Colorectal Surgery Section Chief effective immediately.
"Dr. Andy Shelton has served more than ably as the acting Colorectal Surgery Section Chief since Dr. Mark Welton’s departure one year ago," said General Surgery Chief Dr. Electron Kebebew in his announcement to the Division staff. "We look forward to his continued leadership and growth of the section."
June 22, 2018
2018 Surgery Interns Welcomed With Improved Boot Camp Curriculum
The 2018 Stanford Surgery intern boot camp is unlike any before it, with instructors employing a flipped- classroom model to accommodate all learning styles and expand instruction time.
“Historically, boot camps have lasted a week or four days but because interns have more and more competing interests—learning Epic, onboarding— the physical boot camp schedule has been compressed,” said Dr. Edmund Lee, a Stanford surgical education fellow and visionary behind the novel curriculum. “We asked ourselves: is there a better way?”
June 10, 2018
Stanford Surgery Graduates First IR Interns
For the first time in its history, Stanford Surgery will graduate interns into the field of Interventional Radiology (IR) on June 10, 2018.
“We’re treated exactly the same as how they treat all of the other interns,” said Dr. Lynne Bettinger, one of the three IR interns including Drs. James Hui and Stephan Leung. “I think a lot of people don’t even know that we aren’t general surgery residents.”
May 31, 2018
Faculty Recognized at Annual Stanford Medical Staff Awards Dinner
Several Division of General Surgery faculty members were recognized at the Annual Stanford Medical Staff Awards Dinner on May 31, 2018.
Former Division of General Surgery Chief Dr. Ralph Greco was presented a Lifetime Honorary Medical Staff Award while Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Martin Bronk received a Likelihood to Recommend Award. The Likelihood to Recommend Award is presented to physicians with Likelihood to Recommend top box scores in the 99th percentile, ranked nationally. Drs. Carl Bertelsen, Dan Azagury, Frederick Dirbas, George Poultsides, Jeffrey Norton, and current Department of Surgery Chair Dr. Mary Hawn all received Likelihood to Recommend Honorable Mentions. These physicians' box scores were in or above the 90th percentile, ranked nationally.
May 30, 2018
Residents, Faculty Honored at MD Program Teaching Awards
Three faculty members and two residents from the Division of General Surgery were honored at the 2018 MD Program Teaching Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 30th.
General Surgery Residents Dr. Ioana Baiu (PGY2) and Dr. Laura Mazer (PGY5) received the Arnold P. Gold Foundation's Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award.
"As surgery residents, we are incredibly lucky to be working with brilliant and motivated Stanford students. This is an integral component of our training as future academic surgeons, allowing us to learn the basics of teaching and mentoring from very early on," said Baiu. "[My students] remind me every day how exciting and interesting my job is and inspire me to be a role-model and a better physician. I owe a large part of my training at Stanford to my students who teach me patience and provide me with an insatiable thirst for knowledge."
Clinical Associate Professor Martin Bronk and Clinical Professor Dr. James Lau both received the Award for Excellence in Promotion of Humanism. Lau also received the Arthur L. Bloomfield Award in Recognition of Excellence in the Teaching of Clinical Medicine along with Associate Professor of Surgery Dr. Kristan Staudenmayer.
May 17, 2018
Dr. Weiser Examines A Decade of the Surgical Safety Checklist
Dr. Thomas Weiser, an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery, was a lead author on the editorial "Ten Years of the Surgical Safety Checklist" published by BJS May 17, 2018. Dr. Weiser will also take part in the May #BJSconnect twitter chat on Thursday, May 24 at 11AM PST.
May 15, 2018
2018 Kountz Fellowship Awarded to Lawrence Brown
The 2018 Samuel L. Kountz Diversity Fellowship has been awarded to Lawrence Brown. Brown is an MD candidate at Meharry Medical School in Nashville, TN. He has an MPH from Yale University and an MHS also from Meharry.
May 13, 2018
Drs. Korndorffer and Morris Elected into ASA
Vice Chair of Education Dr. Jim Korndorffer and S-SPIRE Center Director Dr. Arden Morris were elected into the American Surgical Association as new members.