NEWS
Vol. 3, No. 1, 2014
Chairman’s Message
I am very pleased to share with you the 2014 Summer Issue of the
Department of Surgery News. In this issue we report on several important
named visiting professor lectures, special events, an endowed professorship and a faculty promotion.
• We were fortunate over the past few months to welcome two nationally
renowned speakers. Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag, Vice Chancellor of Human
Health Sciences, UC Davis Health System, and Dean and Professor of
Surgery, UC Davis School of Medicine, visited as the 45th Annual Benjamin S. Park, Jr., MD, visiting
professor and guest lecturer. Dr. John Fildes, Foundation Professor and Vice Chair of Surgery and
Chief of Acute Care Surgery, University of Nevada School of Medicine, and Vice Chief of Staff,
Medical Director of Trauma Services and Chair of Trauma, University Medical Center of Southern
Nevada, visited as the 41st Annual Preston A. Wade, MD, visiting professor and guest lecturer.
• The Department of Surgery, in joint partnership with the Department of Anesthesiology, celebrated the opening of the new Skills Acquisition & Innovation Laboratory (SAIL) with donors,
friends, Medical Center leadership, faculty and residents. SAIL utilizes the most advanced simulation
equipment and immersion training to improve patient safety and quality of care.
• Dr. Roger Yurt, Vice Chair of Surgery, Chief of Burns, Critical Care and Trauma, and the Johnson and Johnson Distinguished Professor of Surgery, was honored at the 34th Annual Maurice R.
Greenberg Distinguished Service Award Dinner.
Skills Acquisition & Innovation Laboratory (SAIL)
Open House - pg. 2
45th Annual Benjamin S. Park, Jr., MD,
Visiting Professor Lectureship
and Alumni Banquet
Julie Ann Freischlag, MD, FACS
pg. 3-4
• Dr. Todd Evans, Vice Chair of Research and Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in
Surgery, was named the Peter I. Pressman, M.D., Professor in Surgery, an endowed professorship
established through generous contributions by Alberto Cribiore, who serves on the Weill Cornell
Medical College Board of Overseers, the Pressman Foundation, and supporters of Dr. Pressman.
41st Annual
Preston A. Wade, MD, Visiting
Professor Lectureship
John J. Fildes, MD, FACS - pg. 5
• Dr. Sandip Kapur, Chief of Transplantation Surgery and Surgical Director of the Kidney and
Pancreas Transplant Program, was promoted to Professor of Surgery.
In this issue we also feature articles about our global outreach efforts in East Africa, and our two new
fellowships in Advanced GI Minimally Invasive Surgery and Endocrine and Metabolic Surgery. We
highlight faculty honors and awards. In Alumni Updates, we congratulate Drs. David Herndon and
Shirling Tsai on their recent honors. We note with great sadness the passing of our esteemed alumnus
Dr. Kenneth Swan. In Surgery in the News, we report on NYPD Officer Rosa Rodriguez’s discharge
from our Burn Center, a happy celebration attended by Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner
Bratton. In Surgical Notes, we congratulate Drs. John Daly and Daniel Jones on their recent leadership appointments.
I hope you find this issue of interest and welcome your feedback about our newsletter.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Roger Yurt receives Maurice R. Greenberg
Distinguished Service Award - pg . 6
Dr. Todd Evans named the Peter I. Pressman, M.D.,
Professor in Surgery - pg. 7
Dr. Sandip Kapur Promoted to Professor of Surgery
pg. 8
Global Surgical Outreach in East Africa - pg. 9
Department of Surgery Offers Two New Fellowships
pg. 10
Honors and Awards - pg. 11
Alumni Updates - pg. 12
Fabrizio Michelassi, MD
Lewis Atterbury Stimson Professor of Surgery
Chairman, Department of Surgery
Surgeon-in-Chief
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Surgery in the News - pg. 13
Surgical Notes - pg. 14
Future Events Calendar - pg. 15
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Skills Acquisition
& Innovation
Laboratory (SAIL)
Open House
(from left) Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi and Arnold Gumowitz
Michael Tusiani
On March 5, 2014, The Departments of Surgery and
Anesthesiology celebrated the opening of the new Skills
Acquisition & Innovation Laboratory (SAIL) with donors, friends, faculty, residents and Medical Center
leadership. Steven J. Corwin, MD, CEO of NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital, and Laurie H. Glimcher, MD,
(from left) Dr. Herbert Pardes, Executive Vice Chair, NYP Board of
Trustees, Dr. Steven Corwin
(from left) Dr. Anthony Watkins, Joseph Conrad, Dr. Barrie Rich
(from left) Dr. Hugh Hemmings, Dr. Cam Patterson, COO and SVP,
NYP/WCMC
(from right) Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi conducts tour of
SAIL OR simulation room for Michael Tusiani, John Manfredi and
Szilvia Tanenbaum
The SAIL OR simulation room contains a mannequin that breathes,
talks, blinks and responds to medications and procedures
(from left) Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi and Dr. Hugh Hemmings present
on the advanced technology utilized in SAIL
(from left) Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi, Dr. Herbert Pardes,
Dr. Laurie Glimcher
(far left) Dr. Steven Corwin and Dr. Laurie Glimcher (far right) talk
about SAIL’s key role in medical education
the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell
Medical College, joined Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, Lewis
Atterbury Stimson Professor and Chair of Surgery and
Surgeon-in-Chief, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Medical Center, and Hugh C. Hemmings, Jr., MD, the
Joseph F. Artusio, Jr., Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology, Professor of Pharmacology and Anesthesiologistin-Chief, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical
Center, in welcoming guests. The program began with a
short video of a simulated surgery followed by an interactive tour of SAIL.
In a joint partnership, the Department of Surgery and
the Department of Anesthesiology established SAIL
to provide state-of-the-art educational experiences for
physicians, nurses, residents, fellows and medical students. Designed to improve patient safety and quality
of care through simulation, SAIL utilizes the most advanced simulation equipment within realistic physical
environments to provide complete immersion training.
It employs transparent technology that records and
collects continuous sound, video and metadata to assess and facilitate acquisition of technical skills, critical
thinking and team-oriented performance using real-life
clinical scenarios. To learn more about SAIL, visit our
website at www.cornellsurgery.org/SAIL
Page 2
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Visiting Professor Lectureship:
The 45th Annual
BENJAMIN S. PARK, JR., MD
Memorial Lecture and Banquet
“Clinical and Personal
Comparative Effectiveness”
Monday, March 10, 2014
8:00-9:00 am
Uris Auditorium
The Department of Surgery’s 45th Annual Benjamin
Dr. Freischlag was also the guest speaker at the black-tie Benjamin S.
S. Park, Jr., MD, 2014 Visiting Professor Lecture-
Park, Jr., MD, Alumni Banquet Dinner held the evening of March
ship was held on Monday, March 10, 2014 in Uris
10th at the Harmonie Club in New York City. Her remarks were
Auditorium at Weill Cornell Medical College. The
followed by a lively question-and-answer session conducted by Dr.
lecture, “Clinical and Personal Comparative Ef-
Fabrizio Michelassi, the Lewis Atterbury Stimson Professor and
fectiveness,” was presented by Dr. Julie Ann Freis-
Chair of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medi-
chlag, Vice Chancellor of Human Health Sciences,
cal Center. This year the Department welcomed alumni from the
UC Davis Health System and Dean and Professor
classes of 1984 and 1994, who were recognized and honored by the
of Surgery at UC Davis School of Medicine, Sac-
master of ceremonies and alumni ambassador, Dr. Eugene Nowak,
ramento, California. Dr. Freischlag is a renowned
a renowned NYP/Weill Cornell faculty member and alumnus (class
surgeon, educator and researcher, and an interna-
of 1980). More than 100 faculty, residents and alumni joined to-
tionally recognized expert in the treatment of vas-
gether for this annual festive event commemorating the memory of
cular diseases.
Benjamin S. Park, Jr., MD (class of 1968). It was also an opportunity to celebrate the success of the surgical residency program at NYP/
Julie Ann Freischlag, MD, FACS
Vice Chancellor of Human Health Sciences
UC Davis Health System
Dean and Professor of Surgery,
UC Davis School of Medicine
Sacramento, California
Dr. Freischlag currently oversees UC Davis Health
Weill Cornell and the achievements of the Department of Surgery.
System’s academic, research and clinical programs,
including the School of Medicine, the Betty Irene
Moore School of Nursing, the 1,000 member
physician practice group and UC Davis Medical
Center. Prior to this position, she was the William
Stewart Halsted Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at the
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 2003 to 2014.
Dr. Freischlag has served as a former Governor and Secretary of the Board of Governors and
is a Regent and present Chair of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons.
She is Past President of the Society for Vascular Surgery and of the Association of VA Surgeons
and Society of Surgical Chairs. Dr. Freischlag has received numerous teaching awards and a
Dr. Freischlag and Dr. Michelassi in his office at Weill Cornell
Presidential Citation Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is a member of 33
prestigious surgical societies and has held office in many of these societies. Dr. Freischlag serves
on the editorial boards of Annals of Vascular Surgery, Journal of the American College of Surgeons
and the British Journal of Surgery and is editor of Archives of Surgery and JAMA Surgery. She is
the author of over 200 scientific manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters, primarily addressing
the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid artery disease, peripheral vascular disease
and thoracic outlet syndrome.
Page 3
The Benjamin S. Park, Jr., MD, Visiting Professor Lectureship
is supported by the Department of Surgery. The Department of
Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
established this Visiting Professor Lectureship in 1969.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
BENJAMIN S. PARK, JR., MD
Alumni Black-Tie Banquet Dinner
(from left) Dr. Eugene Nowak and class of 1984 honorees Dr. Thomas Facelle,
Dr. David Rayfield, Dr. Newell Robinson, Dr. Philip S. Barie, Dr. Karen Kostroff,
Dr. Jon Cohen with Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi
(from left) Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi, Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag, Dr. Darren Schneider
(from left) Dr. Eugene Nowak and class of 1994 honorees Dr. Milan Kinkhabwala,
Dr. Stephen Harris, Dr. Arthur Hawes, Dr. Kimberly Van Zee, Dr. Ferdinand Velasco with
Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi
(from left) Dr. Sandip Kapur, Dr. Gregory Dakin, Dr. Michael Lieberman, Dr. Alfons Pomp
(from left) Chief residents Dr. David Anderson, Dr. Alyssa Reiffel-Golas, Dr. Starr Koslow
Mautner, Dr. Thomas J. Fahey, III, Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi, administrative chief resident
Dr. Barrie Rich, chief residents Dr. Katrina Mitchell, Dr. Peter McWhorter
(from left) Dr. Karen Kostroff, Dr. Leslie Cohen (PGY-4), Dr. Jon Cohen
Page 4
(from left) Dr. Brandon Guenthart (PGY-2), Dr. Saurabh Saluja (PGY-2),
Dr. Michael Morton (PGY-3), Dr. Neel Chudgar (PGY-2), chief resident
Dr. David Anderson
(from left) Administrative chief resident Dr. Barrie Rich, Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag,
Dr. Eugene Nowak, Dr. Rache Simmons
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
41st Annual
The Department of Surgery’s 41st Annual Preston A. Wade, MD, Visiting Professor
Preston A. Wade, MD
Medical College. The lecture, “The Training of Acute Care Surgeons,” was presented
Visiting Professor
Lectureship
“The Training
of Acute Care
Surgeons”
Lectureship was held on Monday, April 28, 2014, in Uris Auditorium at Weill Cornell
by Dr. John J. Fildes, Foundation Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas. Dr. Fildes also serves
as Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery. In addition, he is Medical Director of
Trauma Services and Chair of the Department of Trauma at the University Medical
Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, where he also serves as Vice Chief of Staff.
A renowned expert in his field, Dr. Fildes has made significant contributions to
trauma surgery both nationally and internationally. He established the first AASTapproved fellowship in acute care surgery in the nation. He has made important
contributions to the creation of the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) and the
Trauma Quality Improvement Project (TQIP). He served as Chair of the American
College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma from 2006-2010 and as the Medical
Director of Trauma Programs in the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care
at the ACS since 2010. Dr. Fildes has also served as Chair of the Acute Care Surgery Committee of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, where he
made significant contributions to the growth and development of acute care surgery
training programs. He has received numerous honors and awards including, most
recently, the Nevada Healthcare Hero in Technology & Research Award and was
elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society in 2012.
Dr. Fildes is a member of several prestigious surgical societies, including the Ameri-
John J. Fildes, MD, FACS,
FCCM, FPCS (Hon)
Foundation Professor and Vice Chairman
Department of Surgery
Associate Program Director, General Surgery,
Surgical Critical Care
and Acute Care Surgery
Chief, Division of Acute Care Surgery
University of Nevada School of Medicine
Vice Chief of Staff, Medical Director, Trauma
Services, and Chair, Department of Trauma,
University Medical Center of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
can College of Surgeons, the American Surgical Association, American Burn Association, American Trauma Society, Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Society of
Laparoscopic Surgeons, and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. He is
an honorary fellow of the Philippine College of Surgeons. Dr. Fildes has authored
and co-authored numerous publications and articles related to trauma. He is currently a reviewer for the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Journal of Trauma,
Critical Care Medicine and World Journal of Surgery. Dr. Fildes has lectured extensively at the nation’s leading institutions and throughout the world.
The Preston A. Wade, MD, Visiting Professor Lectureship was established in
1974 as a reminder of the importance of surgical expertise in the prevention of
trauma and in the treatment of the trauma victim. Dr. Preston A. Wade was a
leading trauma surgeon and pioneer in accident prevention. He treated many
of the burn victims of the Hindenburg disaster, designed the emergency room at
New York Hospital, and was instrumental in convincing Congress to pass a law
requiring the mandatory installment of seatbelts in cars. After Dr. Wade’s death
in 1982, this lectureship became a memorial to his life and contributions.
Page 5
NewYork-Presbyterian /Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Dr. Roger Yurt
receives Maurice R. Greenberg
Distinguished
Service Award
(from left) Dr. Michelassi and Dr. Yurt
(from left) Dr. Laurie Glimcher, Dean, WCMC, Dr. Roger Yurt,
Dr. Steven Corwin, CEO, NYP
Dr. Roger Yurt, the Johnson and Johnson Distinguished Professor of Surgery,
Chief of Burns, Critical Care and Trauma and Vice Chairman of Surgery, was
honored at the 34th Annual Maurice R. Greenberg Distinguished Service Award
Dinner on June 5, 2014, at a black-tie event at the Plaza Hotel in New York
City. Dr. Yurt, who serves as Director of the William Randolph Hearst Burn
Center, was recognized for his many years of dedicated service to NewYorkPresbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and to the patients we serve.
Following a tribute video, Maurice Greenberg presented the award to Dr.
Yurt during the evening’s program.
Dr. Yurt was the Director of the Trauma Center at the former New York Hospital
from 1983 to 1998 and Medical Director of Aeromed, the air ambulance service
at the Hospital, from 1987 to 1992. He has served on more than 36 intramural
committees including the Medical Board of the Hospital and the Executive Faculty Council of the Medical College. He is also a Past President of the NewYork/
Weill Cornell Medical Center Alumni Council. Dr. Yurt has received a number
of awards and honors from the Medical Center, among them the 2006 Outstanding Physician of the Year Award, a 2009 Excellence in Teaching Award, and an
Honorary Fellowship in the Weill Cornell Medical College Alumni Association.
From 2004 to 2006, Dr. Yurt was the Second Vice President, and a member of
the Board of Trustees of the American Burn Association. He was Governor of the
American College of Surgeons from 1990 to 1996, President of the Surgical Infection Society in 1991, and a Delegate of the American Association of Medical Colleges from 1985 to 1987. The Burn Team and Dr. Yurt were featured as Heroes of
Medicine in the fall 1997 issue of Time magazine.
Under Dr. Yurt’s strong leadership, the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center
received verification by the ABA and the ACS as a Center of Excellence, the
only burn center in New York to receive this designation. In 2013, Dr. Yurt
was named honorary Medical Officer of the New York City Fire Department,
(FDNY) in recognition of the outstanding burn care delivered over the years by
the Center to New York firefighters.
Page 6
In 2003, the American Skin Association presented Dr. Yurt and
the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center with the Meritorious
Humanitarian Recognition Award. That same year, the Royal Society of Medicine presented him with the Richard T. Hewitt Award.
For his work with the FDNY, Dr. Yurt received the Jim Curran
Memorial Award in 2009. Dr. Yurt has been repeatedly recognized
by Castle Connolly as one of America’s Top Doctors, and has been
included in New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors” issue since 1998.
He has been selected from the inaugural listing to the present for
the New York Super Doctors list—an honor accorded only 5% of
New York physicians. His studies on the cost of care for victims of
traumatic injury led to changes in the DRG reimbursement system
in New York State and, ultimately, nationwide. He has authored
over 100 original manuscripts and book chapters dealing with
trauma, burns, and acute inflammatory response to injury.
Since 1981, the Maurice R. Greenberg Distinguished Service Award
has been presented annually to a senior member of the medical staff
for exceptional and longstanding service. The Award was established
in 1980 by one of the Medical Center’s most generous benefactors,
Maurice R. Greenberg, Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees
of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and a member of Weill Cornell
Medical College’s Board of Overseers, and by Peter Guida, MD, who
was affiliated with the Medical Center for more than 50 years. Based
on the notion that the greatness of an institution is derived from
the people behind it, the Greenberg Award was conceived as a way
to identify and celebrate in perpetuity those individuals who make
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College
cornerstones of academic medicine in New York City and beyond.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Dr. Todd R. Evans named the
Peter I. Pressman, M.D., Professor in Surgery
On June 3, 2014, faculty, residents, Medical College leadership and supporters of the Department
of Surgery gathered in Griffis Faculty Club at
Weill Cornell Medical College to celebrate the
appointment of Todd R. Evans, PhD, to the distinguished post of the Peter I. Pressman, M.D.,
Professor in Surgery. Dr. Evans, Vice Chair of
Research and tenured Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in Surgery, was awarded this
honor in recognition of his significant contributions to research in embryogenesis, regenerative
medicine and stem cell biology.
The event was also to recognize and thank
the donors who established the Peter I. Pressman, M.D., Professorship in Surgery: Alberto
Cribiore, a member of the Weill Cornell Medical
College Board of Overseers and longtime supporter of the Department, and Dr. Peter Pressman, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Surgery,
along with his wife Peggy, their foundation and
friends. A professorship is the highest academic
award that the Medical College can bestow on a
faculty member: it is both an honor to the holder
of the appointment and an enduring tribute to
the donors who established it.
Dr. Todd Evans
Page 7
(from left) Alberto Cribiore, Dr. Todd Evans, Dr. Peter Pressman, Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi
Nationally recognized as a leader in the field of breast cancer surgery, Dr. Pressman
established the Weill Cornell Breast Center when he joined Weill Cornell in 2000. He
developed and directed the Genetic Risk Assessment Counseling Program at the Center,
which provides genetic counseling for patients affected by breast and ovarian cancer.
Throughout the four decades of Dr. Pressman’s illustrious career, he was at the forefront of early cancer detection, surgical innovation, integration of genetic research, and
educating physicians on the newest approaches to treatment. His award-winning book,
“Breast Cancer the Complete Guide,” is considered a gold-standard source of information for those impacted by this disease and is currently in its fifth edition.
A nationally renowned biomedical research scientist, Dr. Evans is currently PI on 11
grants, including a prestigious NIH Merit Award and an NIH R01 grant. He also received five NYSTEM awards from New York State, including grants to support a stem
cell training program and a stem cell-based disease modeling facility. Widely published
with over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals, books, book chapters and review articles, Dr. Evans has been an invited lecturer at many conferences and institutions. The
Evans laboratory investigates the molecular regulation of normal organ development
during embryogenesis, revealing the underlying genetic and epigenetic programs that,
when deregulated, cause developmental defects and organ-based disease. With particular emphasis on hematopoietic and cardiovascular programs, Dr. Evans and his team
also study other organ systems, including the liver, gut and pancreas, with the goal of
developing genetic, pharmacological or cellular therapies to impact disease. Prior to joining Weill Cornell, Dr. Evans was a tenured Professor of Developmental and Molecular
Biology and Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Under Dr. Evans’ strong leadership, the Department’s robust basic and translational
research program has grown to include more than 60 researchers, post-doctoral associates, graduate students, technicians and staff. With a focus on stem cells and regenerative
medicine, the program’s researchers have 40 active grants, including seven NIH grants,
and the Department has increased its national ranking for federal funding among departments of surgery nationwide from 71st to 22nd as of 2013.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Dr. Sandip Kapur
Promoted to Professor of Surgery
Dr. Sandip Kapur, Chief of Transplantation Surgery,
was promoted to Professor of Surgery (Transplantation) at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Kapur
is an Attending Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian/
Weill Cornell Medical Center. He serves as the Surgical Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant
Program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Medical Center. In 2010, he was named G. Tom
Shires, M.D. Faculty Scholar in Surgery, an honor
reserved for a faculty scholar who represents the
epitome of research, teaching and patient care.
Under Dr. Kapur’s leadership, in 2013 the living
donor kidney transplant program at NewYorkPresbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center was
the largest volume program on the East Coast and
third in the nation.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell is ranked the
#3 kidney disease center in the United States according to US News & World Report. Established
in 1963 as the first transplant program in the New
York metropolitan area, our center has performed
over 4,200 transplants and is one of the highest volume and highest quality kidney transplant centers in
the nation. Our skilled transplant team offers progressive therapeutic options not generally available
through other transplant programs, with lower rejection rates and excellent graft survival rates compared to national standards. Our program was the
only one in the northeast region to receive a HealthGrades award in 2011, 2012 and 2013 for transplant
outcomes better than statistically predicted.
Dr. Kapur is a nationally recognized expert in organ
transplant, specializing in adult and pediatric kidney
transplantation and whole organ pancreas and islet
cell transplantation. His many pioneering contributions have helped to advance the field of kidney and
pancreas transplantation. Dr. Kapur has generated
innovative solutions to manage the kidney organ
shortage, such as demonstrating the feasibility of
successful transplantation of marginal donor organs,
which were once thought inadequate, or of single
Page 8
pediatric kidney into adults. Dr. Kapur has also contributed greatly to improved techniques for management of high-risk transplant patients such as patients
over the age of 60, ABO incompatible patients or
patients affected by HIV or hepatitis C. These solutions have been widely embraced by many other
high-quality transplant centers.
One of Dr. Kapur’s most significant and practicetransforming contributions to the organ shortage crisis in kidney transplantation has been the
conception of a national kidney paired donation
program where two or more incompatible pairs
exchange donors in order for each to be matched
with a compatible donor. In 2008, Dr. Kapur led
the transplant team that performed the nation’s first
living donor kidney transplant chain through the
National Kidney Registry. NewYork-Presbyterian/
Weill Cornell Medical Center, as the founding member of the National Kidney Registry, has performed
over 10% of the 1,000+ transplants facilitated by
this national donor exchange program, which now
includes more than 65 centers nationwide. Kidney
paired donation has begun to revolutionize living
donor kidney transplantation in the United States
and has dramatically improved the opportunity
for patients in need of kidney transplants to find a
compatible donor.
Other important contributions by Dr. Kapur have
been the facilitation of adoption of the newest laparoscopic techniques for living donor nephrectomies
and the development and initiation of a steroid-sparing immunosuppressive regimen that obviates the
many complications associated with chronic steroid
use. This has resulted in over 1,500 patients avoiding steroid exposure over the years at our center, and
our results have influenced other centers to adopt a
similar strategy. In 2004, Dr. Kapur, in collaboration
with his NYP/Weill Cornell colleague, Dr. Manikkam Suthanthiran, performed the first successful
human islet cell transplant. Our center is the only
program in the tri-state area to have successfully performed human pancreatic islet cell transplantation.
Dr. Kapur received his MD from Cornell University Medical College in 1990, and completed his
internship in 1991, a research fellowship in transplant immunology at the Rogosin Institute from
1993 to 1994, and his general surgery residency in
1996 at NYP/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He
then completed a two-year fellowship in multiorgan transplant surgery at the Thomas E. Starzl
Transplant Institute, University of Pittsburgh.
Widely published in his field, Dr. Kapur has authored 78 papers and 14 book chapters and has
edited three books. Dr. Kapur serves on several
national committees, and has been invited to give
numerous lectures and presentations both nationally and internationally. Since 2003, he has served
on the editorial board of Transplantation. Dr. Kapur
is an active member of many professional societies
including the American Society of Transplantation,
the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the
Transplantation Society, the Cell Transplant Society,
the International Pancreas & Islet Transplant Association, the Society of University Surgeons, the
Association for Academic Surgery and the Association for Surgical Education.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Global Surgical Outreach
in East Africa
New Surgery Faculty Position
at Weill Bugando
Nutrition Education for Tanzanian
Primary Care Physicians
To enhance the Department of Surgery’s global surgical outreach efforts, Katrina B. Mitchell, MD, a
2014 alumna of the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s general surgery residency
program, was appointed Instructor in Surgery in the Department of Surgery and Instructor of Surgery in
Medicine in the Department of Medicine. She will be working closely with the Weill Cornell Center for
Global Health when returning to Weill Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania, where she spent
two years during her surgical residency as a Weill Cornell Global Health fellow and teaching assistant.
In her new position in Tanzania, Dr. Mitchell will work as a general surgeon at Weill Bugando Medical
Centre and Sekou Toure Regional Referral Hospital, treating patients presenting with a variety of emergency and elective surgical conditions, and providing care for children in the pediatric burn center. She
will help serve the 15 million patient population in the northwestern Tanzania Lake Zone region, which
currently suffers a severe shortage of surgical providers.
Gladys Strain, PhD, Associate Research Professor of Surgery and Director of Research for the
section of GI Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery,
was invited to teach a course February 24-27,
2014, in Loshoto, Tanzania at Sebastian Kolowa
Memorial University. Dr. Strain presented on
the basic problems with the Tanzania diet and
taught nutrition, brain function and behavior to
a group of primary care doctors who are in their
second year of training to deliver mental health
care. Since Tanzania has only 25 psychiatrists,
educating primary care physicians to provide
mental health care services is a cost-effective way
to significantly increase access to treatment for
the population of 44 million people.
In 2000, Dr. Mitchell graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude in history from Bowdoin College,
Maine, where she earned the most outstanding honors thesis award and was named to the NCAA AllAmerican tennis team. She earned her MD from Dartmouth Medical College in 2006, where she was a
C. Everett Koop Scholar and an Albert Schweitzer Fellow. Dr. Mitchell has received numerous awards in
recognition of her deep commitment to providing care for medically underserved populations, including the prestigious American College of Surgeons Resident Volunteerism Award in 2013 and the Louis
Wade Sullivan, MD, Resident/Fellow Award for Excellence in Public Health Advocacy in 2011.
Page 9
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Department of Surgery
Offers Two
New Fellowships
As part of its strong commitment to surgical education and training, the Department of Surgery recently established two new fellowship programs in
Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery and in Endocrine and Metabolic Surgery. These fellowships are in addition to our Burn Surgery,
Colon & Rectal Surgery, Surgical Critical Care and Vascular and Endovascular Surgery fellowship programs. We also offer fully-accredited General Surgery, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, General Dentistry and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency programs.
The Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship is a clinical fellowship accredited through the Fellowship Council. It is designed to
provide additional training in complex foregut, mid-gut, hindgut GI and hepato-biliary-pancreatic conditions using conventional, endoscopic, minimally
invasive and robotic techniques. The fellowship includes significant endoscopy exposure for the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease
and esophageal motility disorders, and experience in a broad range of surgical techniques, including conventional laparoscopy, single-site laparoscopic surgery
and robotic-assisted surgery. The fellowship serves as a transition-to-practice period between residency training and independent practice in GI conditions
that may require extensive and complex GI procedures. At the completion of the fellowship, proficiency will be achieved in various pathologies, including
metabolic disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal motility disorders, gastric motility disorders, hepato-biliary-pancreatic and intestinal oncology,
as well as inflammatory bowel disease and benign colon conditions.
The Endocrine and Metabolic Surgery Fellowship is a clinical fellowship which provides subspecialty training in the surgical management of both benign and malignant disorders of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands, neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, and metabolic disorders. The fellowship conveys a strong emphasis on minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat these disorders, and integrates exposure to endocrinology and nuclear medicine.
Alumnus Cheguevara Afaneh, MD, (class of 2014) was
Justin Yozawitz, MD, matched for the Endocrine
selected as the first Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery fellow and appointed Instructor of Surgery in
the Department of Surgery and Assistant Attending Surgeon
at NYP/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Afaneh received
his BS in 2003 from the University of Miami, FL, and earned
his MD from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and
Science/The Chicago Medical School, IL, in 2007. He completed his general surgery internship and residency training and a surgical research fellowship in transplantation medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr.
Afaneh has authored over 25 articles in peer-reviewed journals, co-edited a textbook,
authored nine textbook chapters, and has given more than 30 national and international presentations. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic
Surgeons, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, New York Academy
of Science and Society for Surgeons of the Alimentary Tract.
and Metabolic Surgery Fellowship through the
American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, and
was appointed Instructor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery and Assistant Attending Surgeon
at NYP/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Yozawitz received his BA in 2004 from the University
of Rochester, NY and earned his MD from SUNY Upstate Medical
University, Syracuse, NY in 2008. He completed his general surgery residency at Hofstra North Shore-Long Island Jewish School of Medicine,
New Hyde Park, NY. A member of the American College of Surgeons,
Dr. Yozawitz has received several honors, including being inducted into
the Golden Key International Honor Society and Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society in 2003. He earned a “Highest Distinction in
Psychology” award in 2004. Dr. Yozawitz has published in the American
Journal of Human Genetics, and presented at the 2014 American Association of Endocrine Surgeons annual meeting, as well as the 29th
Angiology Workshop of the International College of Angiology.
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NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Awards H Honors
Thomas A. Imahiyerobo, Jr., MD, a chief resident of our plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program, received the Resident
of the Month Award from NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical
Center in April, 2014. The award recognizes a resident who exemplifies
the Hospital’s values of empathy, respect, responsibility, teamwork and
excellence. Dr. Imahiyerobo was selected for his dedicated service in providing the highest quality, most compassionate patient care. He received
his MD in 2008 from Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Tracy-Ann Moo, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, was awarded
an Affinito-Stewart grant from the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) to provide support for her tenure prospects and fund her
study “Identification and targeting of cancer testis antigen MAGE-A in
triple negative breast cancers.” The purpose of the PCCW Affinto-Stewart Grants Program is to increase Cornell’s retention of women faculty
members who are on the tenure track.
Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, Lewis Atterbury Stimson Professor and
Parul Shukla, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, was appointed
Associate Editor of the Indian Journal of Surgery, which is the official
publication of the Association of Surgeons of India, publishing articles
in all fields of surgery. Dr. Shukla is also a member of the editorial board
for the World Gastroenterology Organization, and has served as Editor
in Chief of the Journal of Colorectal Diseases since 2006.
Chair of Surgery, was elected President of the Society for Surgery of
the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), at SSAT’s 55th Annual Meeting, held
May 2-6, 2014, in Chicago, Illinois, during Digestive Disease Week.
He previously served as SSAT’s President-Elect. On May 14, 2014, Dr.
Michelassi gave the Richardson Visiting Professor Lecture at the Harvard Medical School-Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
His lecture was titled “Novel Strategies to Reduce Recurrence Rates in
Crohn’s Disease.”
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NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Alumni Updates
It is with deep sadness that
we note the passing of our
distinguished alumnus and
colleague Kenneth G. Swan,
MD, (class of 1968) whose
career as a renowned clinician, researcher and educator spanned more than 40 years. Dr. Swan died
suddenly on March 22, 2014 at his home in
South Orange, N.J. at age 79.
A nationally recognized expert in trauma, vascular
and thoracic surgery, Dr. Swan was a Professor
of Surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School,
Newark, NJ, where he was Chief of General Surgery for 22 years. He served with distinction in
the US Army as a combat surgeon for multiple
tours in Vietnam and the first Gulf War, earning the rank of Colonel and two Bronze Stars.
It was in Vietnam, where Dr. Swan cared for
hundreds of wounded soldiers, that he developed the strong trauma expertise that would
be part of his ongoing legacy, which included
writing two textbooks on the treatment of gunshot wounds and authoring over 300 papers on
trauma, shock, physiology, and medical history.
After his return from duty in Vietnam in the
early 1970s, Dr. Swan was instrumental in the
development of the Trauma Center at Rutgers. An invited lecturer at 200 institutions nationally and internationally, Dr. Swan was an active
member of many distinguished professional
societies, including the American Physiological
Society, the Society of University Surgeons, the
American Surgical Association, and the Society
for Vascular Surgery. He graduated cum laude
from Harvard University, and earned his MD
from Weill Cornell Medical College. He completed his residency in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/
Weill Cornell Medical Center in 1968. One of
Dr. Swan’s great passions was teaching medical
students and surgical residents, and he was the
recipient of 16 Golden Apple Awards at Rutgers in recognition of his outstanding teaching skills. Dr. Swan is survived by his wife of
50 years, Betsy, whom he met when she was a
nurse at New York Hospital, his three children
and his seven grandchildren.
David Herndon, MD, (class of 1980) was awarded the Medallion for Scientific
Achievement from the American Surgical Association at the annual meeting in
April, 2014, in Chicago, IL. This prestigious award was given in recognition of
Dr. Herndon’s important contributions to the progress of surgical science. Dr.
Herndon is Chief of Staff at Shriners Burns Hospital for Children, Professor
of Surgery, Professor of Pediatrics and the Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Chair
in Burn Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Internationally recognized for his expertise in burn surgery, he is widely published with 966 peer reviewed articles
and 140 book chapters. His book, “Total Burn Care,” now in its 4th edition, is an authoritative
text on burn care that has international distribution and multiple translations. An early proponent of skin banks, he spearheaded the development of banked skin coverage and his nutrition
research led to the use of early enteral nutrition in burn patients worldwide. His research has
been continually funded by NIH since 1980, and he has conducted over 100 clinical trials aimed
at innovative pharmacological approaches to improve burn recovery. He is currently PI on six
NIH awards. Dr. Herndon earned his MD from Case Western Reserve University in 1974 and
completed his surgical residency at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell in 1980.
Shirling Tsai, MD, (class of 2010) Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, was awarded the
prestigious American Surgical Association Foundation Award, a career development award for $75,000 a year for two years. The award will fund her study,
“The role of LRP1 in regulating TGFβ signaling in the pathogenesis of aortic
aneurysms.” Dr. Tsai is working closely with her mentor/collaborator Dr.
Joachim Herz, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center, who is an expert in the study of LDL Receptor Related Protein
1 (LRP1). Abdominal aortic aneurysm affects up to 8% of men over the age of 65 and is the
13th leading cause of death in the United States. Many cases of aortic aneurysms that arise
as part of familial or genetic syndromes are characterized by overactive TGFβ signaling in the
aortic wall. Dr. Tsai’s study will investigate how LRP1 regulates TGFβ signaling, and how this
contributes to disruptions in vascular wall structure and, ultimately, aneurysmal degeneration.
In 1999, Dr. Tsai graduated summa cum laude from Harvard, Cambridge, MA, with an AB in
Chemistry and Physics. She earned her MD from Columbia University College of Physicians
and Surgeons, NY, in 2003. After completing her general surgery internship and residency
training at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, she completed her fellowship
in vascular and endovascular surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
Eugene Nowak, MD,
(class of 1980) a Department
of Surgery faculty member
who is actively involved in the
surgical residency training program, hosted a lobster bake at
his home in Greenwich, CT on
May 17, 2014, for this year’s
graduating chief residents and
their families.. Dr. Nowak and
his wife also invited several
young alumni faculty members
to join in this celebratory event.
Dr. Eugene Nowak (center) with (from left) Chief residents Dr. Stefan Kachala, Dr. Starr Koslow Mautner,
Dr. Alyssa Reiffel-Golas, Dr. Katrina Mitchell
Tracy-Ann Moo (class of 2012) selects a
bottle from Dr. Nowak’s wine cellar
(from left) Dr. Ben Golas (class of 2011),
enjoys some lobsters with his wife Alyssa
Reiffel-Golas and Katrina Mitchell
Page
Page
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NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Surgery in the News
Department of Surgery Faculty
Recognized for Clinical Excellence
Fourteen of our surgeons were recognized as “Best Doctors” in New York City for 2014 in New York Magazine.
Faculty cited as “Best Doctors” include:
Drs. Gregory Dakin, Thomas J. Fahey, III, Sang Lee, Michael Lieberman, Fabrizio Michelassi, Jeffrey Milsom,
Alfons Pomp, Darren Schneider, Rache Simmons, Jason Spector, Nitsana Spigland, Alexander Swistel,
Mia Talmor and Rasa Zarnegar
Sixteen of our surgeons were selected as “New York SuperDoctors” in 2014, through a survey of physicians, an honor
accorded just 5% of all New York physicians. The listing appeared recently in the New York Times Magazine.
Faculty recognized as “New York SuperDoctors” include:
Drs. Philip S. Barie, Palmer Bessey, Gregory Dakin, Thomas J. Fahey, III, Robert Grant, Sandip Kapur, Sang Lee,
Michael Lieberman, Fabrizio Michelassi, Jeffrey Milsom, Alfons Pomp, Darren Schneider, Jason Spector,
Alexander Swistel, Mia Talmor and Roger Yurt
NYPD Officer Rodriguez
Discharged from
Burn Center
On May 19, 2014, NYPD Officer Rosa Rodriguez, who was critically
injured in a fire in April, was released from the William Randolph
Hearst Burn Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical
Center to continue her recovery at home. Officer Rodriguez, 36, a
mother of four, was so critically injured when she was admitted to
the Burn Center, doctors said her chances of survival were barely
50 percent. Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner William
Bratton and the physicians and healthcare team who provided
her with the most advanced burn care, escorted her out of the
hospital amid cheers and applause from her fellow officers. The
discharge made front page news, with dozens of media outlets
covering the event.
Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bratton (far left) join
the multidisciplinary burn team at the William Randolph Hearst
Burn Center to celebrate the recovery of Officer Rodriguez
(from left) Drs. Roger Yurt, Chief, Burns, Critical Care and Trauma and Palmer
Bessey, Associate Director, William Randolph Hearst Burn Center, talk to the
media about Officer Rodgriguez’s treatment
Page 13
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Surgical Notes
(from left) Drs. Starr Koslow Mautner,
Katrina Mitchell, Nitsana Spigland, Barrie
Rich and Alyssa Reiffel-Golas
(from left) Drs. Soo Rhee, Rache Simmons
and Faith Menken
(from left) Drs. Jamie Green, Heather Yeo,
Carrie Peterson, Charlotte Ariyan
This year’s Weill Cornell Women in Surgery Dinner was held on May 6, 2014. The event was the 6th annual dinner to help foster
mentorship among female residents, fellows and attending surgeons. The support from the Department of Surgery this year was instrumental in making this year’s dinner a success. Organized by chief resident Dr. Starr Koslow Mautner and held at Pescatore Restaurant in
NYC, there was a record turnout in attendance, including a number of our recent graduates, fellows, Weill Cornell faculty, and four of
our MSKCC colleagues, in addition to residents at each level of training. After dinner, Dr. Nitsana Spigland, Chief of Pediatric Surgery
and Pediatric Trauma, hosted a dessert and wine reception at her home. The residents received a lot of valuable advice and opportunities
for mentorship from the fellows and faculty.
We offer our congratulations to Daniel Jones, MD, MS, who was elected President of the Association for Surgical Education at
the ASE annual meeting in April, 2014, in Chicago, IL. Dr. Jones is Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Director
of the Weight Loss Surgery Center and Chief of Minimally Invasive Surgical Services at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA. He founded the Carl J. Shapiro Skills and Simulation Center in Boston. He received his MD from Weill Cornell
Medical College in 1990, and was invited by the Department of Surgery to be the Hassan Naama Memorial Lecturer in 2010.
Dr. Jones completed his general surgery internship and residency training at Washington University School of Medicine and
Barnes Hospital in St. Louis in 1997, and he was a research fellow in surgery at Washington University Institute for Minimally
Invasive Surgery. Prior to joining Harvard, Dr. Jones was Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern,
where he founded the Southwestern Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Dallas. Dr. Jones is a nationally and internationally
recognized surgeon and leader in the field of advanced minimally invasive and bariatric surgery with over 200 published articles.
He has been an active educator of medical students, residents, fellows and faculty and has developed and implemented multidisciplinary surgical simulation curriculum training for faculty and staff, including operating room team training.
Congratulations to John Daly, MD, FACS, FRCSI (Hon), who was elected Vice President of the American Surgical Association in
April, 2014, at the ASA 134th Annual Meeting in Boston, MA. Dr. Daly is the Harry C. Donahoo Professor of Surgery, Surgical
Director of the William Maul Measey Institute for Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety, and Emeritus Dean of the Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Daly was the Lewis Atterbury Stimson Professor and Chairman of the Department
of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center from 1993-2002. He received his MD from Temple University
School of Medicine, and completed his general surgery internship and residency at the University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas in 1978. An internationally renowned oncologic surgeon, author, researcher and educator, Dr. Daly has published hundreds of peer reviewed publications and has received more than $20 million in grants from the NIH. His areas of expertise include
surgical oncology involving management of patients with breast and GI cancers, research involving tumor immunology, physician
competency and liability, credentialing and board certification and surgical education.
Page 14
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
FUTURE
EVENTS
September 22, 2014
14th Annual Hassan Naama, MD, BCh, Memorial Lectureship
Weill Cornell Medical College
Lecturer: Jeffrey P. Gold, MD
Chancellor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
October 9, 2014
13th Annual Golf Tournament to benefit surgical education and research
Pelham Country Club, Pelham, NY
October 13, 2014
32nd Annual Peter C. Canizaro, MD, Visiting Professor Lectureship
Weill Cornell Medical College
Lecturer: David W. Rattner, MD
Chief, Gastrointestinal and General Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital
Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
October 28, 2014
2014 ACS Annual Alumni Reception
Hilton San Francisco Union Square, San Francisco, CA
Page 15
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NEWS
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
Department of Surgery
WAYS TO GIVE
The Department of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/
Weill Cornell Medical Center is committed to our
three-fold mission of education, research, and patient-centered care. Philanthropy plays a vital role in
realizing our vision of excellence in these three areas.
Whether it is for the groundbreaking research that will
treat and cure the scourge of disease, teaching the next
generation of top doctors, or providing the most advanced care in a truly compassionate, patient-centered
way, philanthropy is critical to our success.
Secure Ways to Give Form
http://www.cornellsurgery.org/patients/give/index.html
We ask that you partner with us in our mission and consider a
tax-deductible gift to the Department of Surgery. You may also
make a check payable to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Department of Surgery and mail to:
Ms. Michele Berko-Field
Office of Development
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
525 East 68th Street, Box 123, New York, NY 10065
For more information about the Department of Surgery, please visit our website at
www.cornellsurgery.org
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center