Alumni Spotlight

Elizabeth Pocock, M.D.

Elizabeth Pocock, M.D., completed her general surgery residency at UC San Diego Health in 2012. She went on to complete her cardiothoracic surgery training at the Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine, followed by an advanced coronary surgery fellowship at Mount Sinai Morningside. Since then, she has worked at George Washington University Hospital and Mount Sinai Morningside. She is currently an assistant professor of cardiac surgery at the University of Vermont.

“When I applied for residency, my goal was to pursue cardiothoracic surgery, but since there was no integrated cardiac surgery program available directly from medical school, I applied for general surgery residency at UC San Diego Health as a pathway to a cardiac surgery fellowship. And to this day I am so grateful that that is how my training turned out. I am a much better cardiac surgeon with my understanding of all the critical care I learned doing trauma, burn, and general surgery. I understand vascular surgery, urology, otolaryngology, and neurosurgery—which are all issues my patients have! I genuinely believe this broad-based learning continues to create the best surgeon for the future. The Department of Surgery also fully supported my heart surgery goals and allowed me to do many months on cardiac surgery during my general surgery residency, which both solidified my decision to pursue that as my career and made me fantastically well-prepared when I started my fellowship. That flexibility during training was quite unique. I am proud to see how the program has evolved since I graduated and keeps doing the most phenomenal cutting-edge work.”

Vijay Menon, M.D.

Vijay Menon, M.D., is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Drexel and attending transplant surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, and International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

"The faculty in the Department are peerless. I fondly look back at the kidney transplants and procurements I performed with all the faculty in transplant surgery, and in particular, Dr. Mekeel. I enjoyed my time at the VA, cherishing the conversations in and out of the operating room with the attendings, especially with Drs. Ardill and Owens. Dr. Clary arrived during my second year and he made his mark on the program with his strong style of leadership and with his weekly Chairman Rounds. I vividly recall doing a hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy procedure (a cancer treatment that involves filling the abdominal cavity with chemotherapy drugs that have been heated) with Dr. Veerapong. Halfway through I asked him 'What do you think?' He peered up and said, 'I think we can get it all'—the case lasted sixteen hours!

There is a sense of pride and empowerment that only the best educators can provide, and they were plentiful at UC San Diego. Dr. Jacobsen, who became program director when I started as an intern, crafted a program with diverse and happy residents, and the camaraderie was wonderful. I made lifelong friends, with two of my seniors being cobest men at my wedding. Overall, I had a wonderful time from 2013-2018 at UC San Diego and it prepared me well for fellowship and a career in surgery."

F. Barry Knotts, M.D., Ph.D.

Prior to his retirement from general and trauma practice in 2017, F. Barry Knotts, M.D., Ph.D., was an associate clinical professor of surgery at Ohio University and section chief for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and medical director of surgical intensive care at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Centrer in Toledo, Ohio. Currently, he is president and chairman of the board for Trauma Specialists of Toledo and Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Specialists. He completed his internship and general residency at UC San Diego between 1975 and 1981. From 1990-1991, he was an assistant clinical professor of surgery at UC San Diego.

“I have a distinct advantage in relating how much my training at UCSD, Department of Surgery, has meant to me. I have the benefit of hindsight now that I am retired from a wonderful career in medicine and surgery. Although challenging, the training prepared me very well for life as a practicing surgeon. This short reflection has given me an opportunity to recall many of the memorable moments of my training at UCSD. I had the good fortune of learning from world class experts in so many surgical disciplines.

Marshall Orloff was my boss at UCSD. I have endeavored to emulate his mastery of surgery. As I reflect on my training many of the names of those who mentored me leap to mind: J. Pilch. R. Virgilio, G. Greenburg, R. Bell, R. Barone, P. Goldfarb, R. Smith, R. Ignelsi, J. Alksne, F. Lynch, T. Canty, and my fellow residents S. Shackford (Navy), J. Hurst (Navy) and D. Hoyt, to mention a few.

A feature of the program at UCSD was an opportunity to ‘sample’ the style and type of practice in a wide variety of clinical environments. City of Hope, Scripps Memorial Hospital, San Diego Mercy Hospital, Kaiser Hospital, Balboa Naval Hospital, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, and, of course, the La Jolla VA Hospital and the UCSD Hospital. The experiences gained from these glimpses of what might be my future helped direct me in choosing a career path.

One of my most rewarding experiences in training was to accompany my professor of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. Timothy Canty, to Mexico to provide pediatric surgical care to Mexican citizens who would otherwise find care inaccessible. I also had the great honor of operating with Thomas Starzl, famed transplant surgeon, and participating in the first liver transplant at UCSD.”

Erin P. Ward, M.D.

Erin P. Ward, M.D., is an assistant professor of surgical oncology at the University of Utah. She was a prior surgical oncology research fellow and completed her general residency at UC San Diego in 2020.

"I am incredibly grateful for the training I received at UC San Diego. As a resident, we were given the opportunity to take ownership of our patients and learn to care for the most complex patients. I constantly draw upon the lessons I learned from all the specialties we trained with, from burn to transplant to vascular surgery at the VA to the complex tertiary care provided at Thornton. Having the opportunity to train under a diverse group of surgeons who were all uniquely committed to their patients and pushing forward their field set me up to pursue and achieve my career goals. To this day, I rely on the advice and support from the mentors and co-residents I was lucky enough to work with at UC San Diego. I would not trade my time at UC San Diego for anything."

Fernando Herrera, M.D.

Fernando Herrera, M.D., is a plastic surgeon affiliated with Medical University South Carolina and Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He completed his Residency in General Surgery at UC San
Diego in 2009.

“I can not understate how much I value my time at the University of California San Diego training in General Surgery. It feels like only yesterday I was placing lines and taking care of patients in the Burn Unit or performing hepatobiliary surgeries at Thornton hospital. I had the honor of training at this prestigious institution with world class faculty such as Dr. Moossa, Hoyt, Easter, Coimbra, and Bouvet, just to name a few. The minimally invasive experience was second to none with skilled laparoscopic surgeons, single port surgery, and cutting-edge robotic experience. However not only was the training first class, the camaraderie among fellow residents was beyond no other. You could always count on a hand from each other to get the work done. Not to mention, San Diego was not a bad place to live if you happened to have some free time. Occasional off weekends were spent at the beach soaking up the sun, of course reading from Sabiston’s textbook of surgery.

While I went on to complete a fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, the foundation and surgical principles I learned at UCSD have served me well.”

Louis Kosta, M.D.

Louis Kosta, M.D., is currently an Adjuvant Associate Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University, a retired Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a previous Director of Trauma Services at Northwest Permanente. He completed his Surgical Residency at UC San Diego in 1980.

“My training in General Surgery at UCSD with Marshall J. Orloff and many outstanding other mentors, was a varied and unique experience in multiple facilities, including University Hospital, aka “The U”, San Diego VA Medical Center, Kaiser Hospital San Diego, San Diego Naval Regional Medical Center, Children’s Hospital, Mercy Hospital in San Diego, and Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, CA. My caseload included treating vascular and thoracic disorders with Drs. Bernstein and Peters, respectively, emergency portacaval shunts for portal hypertension induced bleeding esophageal varices, managing complex GI and endocrine disorders, the whole spectrum of malignancies, including pioneering breast cancer treatment with Dr. Yosef Pilch, who was one of the original NSABP lead investigators, and, as one of the first Level I Trauma Centers in the US, plenty of that!  

The departments of Pediatric Surgery with Tim Canty and Plastic Surgery with Jack Fisher provided unique operative experiences in Mexican border communities. Outstanding staff at the San Diego Kaiser Hospital included, most memorably Thoracic and Endocrine Surgeon Perry Ah Tye. And, lest I forget, the UCSD School of Medicine, which Marshall Orloff helped cofound, was and is, an ongoing source of the best and brightest medical students. My most fascinating year…1976-1977.. was my research in Dr. Orloff’s lab, investigating gastrointestinal hormone physiology, and included working with Dr. Roger Guillemin at the Salk Institute in San Diego. Dr. Guillemin was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1976 and the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1977. He correctly predicted that somatostatin, which he discovered, would find vast therapeutic applications in clinical medicine, including managing portal hypertension!

I left the program grateful for very strong and respected credentials, enabling a subsequent interesting and rewarding career in Surgery. What I owe is beyond measure.”

David Hoyt, M.D.

David Hoyt, M.D., is currently an Emeritus Professor of Surgery at the University of California, Irvine. Previously, he also held roles as Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons, Executive Vice Dean for the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, and more. Dr. Hoyt completed his Surgical Residency and Research Fellowship at UC San Diego in 1984.

“The values established for the department of surgery of excellence in patient care, responsibility for learning and teaching, and the importance of investigation and continuous improvement flourished at UCSD from its beginning and flourish today. Being stimulated by these values in a young department is an unforgettable experience that shapes my focus even today. It is hard to imagine a better time or place to have been to learn our profession. I am very proud to have trained at the University of California San Diego.”

Scott Ellner, D.O., M.D., M.P.H., M.H.C.M.

Scott Ellner, D.O., M.D., M.P.H., M.H.C.M., has held roles with Billings Clinic (CEO); Centura Health (Group President and CEO of Physician Alignment); Trinity New England (President of Saint Francis Medical Group, Vice Chairman of the Surgery Service Line and Director of Surgical Quality); University of Connecticut School of Medicine(Assistant Professor of Surgery); and Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (Chairman and Founder). He is now the Market President in Boston for Navvis, a value-based delivery operating company in partnership with Tufts Medicine. He completed his Residency in General Surgery at UC San Diego in 2005.

"Looking back on my time in the UCSD General Surgery Residency Program it was the people that made an impact on me. David Easter, MD, our program director, was kind-hearted, supportive and a leader in minimally invasive surgery. He patiently taught me the evolving skill set at the time of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair and laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication. Dr. Marshall Orloff was a “giant” in surgery and it was always a pleasure to round with him at Hillcrest discussing the patients with the team and bedside nurses on the Red Surgical Service.

His research on TIPS versus Portocaval Shunt was a tremendous opportunity for senior and chief residents to learn to operate near the vena cava on profoundly sick patients with medically recalcitrant portal hypertension. Dr. Anne Wallace was a strong mentor and leader who supported my foray into bench and clinical research with advancements in sentinel lymph node mapping. From that research experience I had the honor of being part of an incredible team of collaboration in the UCSD surgery and radiology departments that developed Lymphoseek®, a novel radiopharmaceutical specific to lymphatic mapping. Dr. David Hoyt instilled in me the poise and confidence to take on challenging surgical cases. He was instrumental in my development as a leader and through his guidance I became passionate about surgical quality improvement through the American College of Surgeons.

I remember many of my co-residents fondly. Some of us would steal away to Mission or Pacific Beach after grand rounds and M&M on Saturdays which were held at the VA for a quick surf session, if we weren’t on call. I remember fondly, Dr. Sonia Ramamoorthy helped me get through my first week on rotation as an intern on the Burn service (during July 4 th weekend) under the late Dr. John Hansbrough. Dr. Ramamoorthy, was friendly, funny, and a senior resident I looked up to for support and guidance.

I am grateful for my experience at UCSD as it shaped me as a surgeon, researcher in quality and comparative effectiveness, and as a healthcare executive."

Julia Grabowski, M.D.

Julia Grabowski, M.D., is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University and the Director of Pediatric Colorectal Surgery at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. She completed her Surgery Residency at UC San Diego in 2010 while also being a postdoctoral fellow.

"I feel so fortunate to have trained at UCSD with some of the most amazing mentors and friends. The 7 years I spent as a resident were challenging, exhausting, rewarding, and unbelievably fun. As a resident, I was given the autonomy to make independent decisions and the support I needed to ask for help. The variety in the services and the hospitals gave me the opportunity to determine exactly what I wanted to do with my life. And the training I got at UCSD and Rady prepared me for a wonderful fellowship and a career I love. I am forever grateful."

Joseph Eisner, M.D.

Joseph Eisner, M.D., is in a large group general surgery private practice in Ventura, California where he is Core Faculty for the Community Memorial Health System general surgery residency program and Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Western University of Health Sciences.

“I am grateful for my exceptional general surgery training at UC San Diego and how it molded me into the person and surgeon I am today. Learning from subspecialist surgeons and researchers provided me a more profound depth of knowledge and insight and connected me to mentors who to this day, still advise me on rare case presentations. The graded autonomy provided in the program allowed me to grow as a doctor, surgeon and leader while ensuring exceptional patient care. From the trauma and indigent care at Hillcrest, to tertiary level oncology care in La Jolla, to multidisciplinary care at the VA, I was granted a diverse and comprehensive view of medical care and technique. I always appreciated how the attendings would allow us to take over their home for journal club and take time out of their busy day to give lectures. I forged indestructible bonds with my co-residents through long days and even longer nights and they have become some of my closest friends.”

Todd Costantini, M.D.

Todd Costantini, M.D., is a board-certified surgical intensivist and current director of UC San Diego Health’s Level 1 Trauma Center. He is also an Associate Professor of Surgery as well as the Trauma Medical Director. After completing medical school at the University of Minnesota, he went on to finish residency training and a fellowship at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

“I am incredibly lucky to have trained in the General Surgery Residency and Trauma/Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at UC San Diego. The teaching by numerous faculty, both past and present, provided the clinical experience and technical instruction that has allowed me to develop into a confident surgeon. The ability to spend two years in the research laboratory during my training was transformational and provided the mentorship and direction that set me on a path to becoming an academic surgeon. In the end, I am most thankful for the relationships that developed as a result of my training at UC San Diego including mentors, colleagues and friends that continue to impact my personal and professional life.”

Jacob DeLaRosa, M.D.

Jacob DeLaRosa, M.D., is the Wheeler Family Endowed Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, Idaho. Dr. DeLaRosa finished his General Surgery training at UCSD in 2001. After completing a Residency in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery at Emory University in 2004, Dr. DeLaRosa went to Idaho to start the first Cardiac surgery program in Pocatello, Idaho.

“My time at UCSD was made special because of the camaraderie between residents, the incredible faculty, the ACS meetings that we tagged along with Dr. Moossa, our trips to Mr. A’s for libations before it became the fancy place it is today, Saturday mornings trying to justify what the attending did and not be slammed for using an acronym or nickname for an operation instead of the correct name, and many other memorable experiences.

I am honored to have been trained by Drs. Moossa, Jamieson, Easter, Hoyt, Coimbra, Sparks, Wallace, and several others that influenced how I practice medicine today. I am humbled to have been a tiny part of the training of some amazing peers, Drs. Katz, Alrefi, Ehsan, and many more. I will always be thankful for the world-class training I received at UCSD and establishing my solid foundation in surgery!”

Afshin Ehsan, M.D.

Afshin Ehsan, M.D., is the Director of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at Rhode Island Hospital and the Co-Director of Quality for the Lifespan Cardiovascular Institute. He is also a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

“This summer will mark 20 years from the time I finished my surgical training at UC San Diego. Without a doubt those five years were the most formidable of my career. The clinical foundations instilled in me by my incredible mentors still resonate in my work today. To have had the privilege of being trained by leaders like David Hoyt, Marshall Orloff, Stuart Jamieson and of course our supremely talented and charismatic Chairman, Dr. Moossa, is only magnified through the spectrum of time. It’s amazing how one institution could have so many giants all at once for my colleagues and I to learn from. Life in San Diego wasn’t too bad either. It was always nice to know that the Sunday off that came around once every three weeks had a great likelihood of being a good weather day to enjoy with friends and family. And as for my many incredible co-residents, the sheer number that have risen to national prominence speaks to the collective talent I had the pleasure of working with. Reflecting on it as a whole, I am truly blessed to have called UCSD my home some 20 years ago.”

Hannah Copeland, M.D.

Hannah Copeland, M.D., is the Surgical Director of Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support and Director of ECMO at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Assistant Professor of Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine – Fort Wayne (IUSM-FW).

“UCSD is an excellent place to train. The most valuable part of my experience was the excellent faculty who have become mentors for life. Drs. Blair, Bouvet, Coimbra, Cosman, Doucet, Easter, Jacobsen, Owens, Ramamoorthy, Thistlethwaite, Wallace and so many more. UCSD also promotes camaraderie among residents. The residents have been more than colleagues - friends for life. The time at UCSD flew by, I learned cutting edge surgery and the experience was broad across all areas of general surgery with principles applied to the daily care of patients. UCSD encouraged and supported residents to be their best selves.”

Danny Chu, M.D.

Danny Chu, M.D., is a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Director of the UPMC Ozaki Center of Excellence. He also serves on numerous Editorial Boards of Major Publication Journals and is the Vice President of the Association of Veterans Affairs Surgeons, among others. Chu completed his General Surgery Residency and Postgraduate Research Fellowship at UC San Diego between 1997 and 2004. 

"It was my last general surgery interview.  I immediately felt at home during the interview.  There were many dedicated surgeon-educators and surgeon-scientists.  Spending two years in Dr. Thistlethwaite's lab gave me the foundation of being a surgeon-scientist and an academic leader.  Many of my fellow residents went on to become leaders in surgery.  I am grateful and blessed to have been given the opportunity to train at UCSD."

David Beffa, M.D.

David Beffa, M.D., is the Chair of Emergency Medicine at Sutter Amador Hospital and an Emergency General Surgeon at Sutter Medical Center Sacramento. Beffa completed his General Surgery Residency at UC San Diego between 2007 and 2013.

“I loved my time at UCSD general surgery. As the only physician in the country currently practicing both general surgery and emergency medicine I find myself using the skills I learned at UCSD and channeling the spirit of different awesome UCSD attendings all the time. I never know when or how what I learned in the clinical trenches of surgical residency from UCSD will come in handy. Whether it is handling an unexpected appendiceal tumor during an appendectomy (Thanks Dr. Lowy), performing a robotic right colectomy for an obstructing tumor (Thanks Dr. Ramamoorthy), resuscitating a critically ill septic patient and performing a damage control surgery with temporary abdominal closure (Thanks Dr. Doucet/Costantini/Kobayashi/Lee/Coimbra), using component separation technique for complex ventral hernias (Thanks Dr. Jacobsen), or doing an emergent burr hole on a 2 year old with an epidural hematoma deteriorating neurologically at the rural Emergency Department manage (Thanks EM residency, Surgery residency, and Google ☺) View the burr hole story. At Sutter Medical Center Sacramento our emergency general surgery team is utilizing robotics to deliver innovative care to emergency general surgery patients with greatly improved patient outcomes and decreased cost/length of stay for emergent colectomies, small bowel resections, incarcerated hernias, and acute cholecystectomies. I am very grateful to my attendings at UCSD for all of their dedicated teaching. My message to the current residents is to enjoy the awesome journey you are on, find your passion and follow it as far as you can, and be grateful to be at the UCSD surgery program that will get you to where you want to be!”

Matthew Katz, M.D.

Matthew Katz, M.D., is Chair of Surgery, MD University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Katz trained at UC San Diego between 1999 and 2006, including as part of the general residency program, and as a postdoctoral researcher at Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“UC San Diego was the first residency interview I went on while in med school, and I knew I would go there immediately—I would have signed right then and there,” says Katz. “The most valuable part of my experience was the faculty, many of whom are largely responsible for any success I can claim to have had since graduation: Drs. Moossa, Bouvet, Easter, Hoyt, Coimbra, Orloff … the list goes on. It was a very special time in my career that I remember with both fondness and great pride.”

Trevor Upham, M.D.

Trevor Upham, M.D., completed his Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship at UC San Diego from 2015 to 2017, following his general surgery residency at Georgetown University. He is now affiliated with WakeMed Health and Duke University as an attending Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Director of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department.

"My two years of cardiothoracic surgery training at UC San Diego flew by yet provided an unmatched depth of surgical training that would prepare me for the evolving challenge of modern cardiothoracic surgery. Drinking from a fire hose of surgical cases, every day was a learning experience from VATS and robotic thoracic surgery, TEVAR/TAVR and aortic cases, VADS and ECMO, bypasses and valves, and transplants upon transplants. While training me to be on the forefront of cardiothoracic surgery, the program also was grounded in the history of the field with surgical giants still in the operating room and always at teaching conferences. Outside of the OR, the whole community at UC San Diego Health taught me how to always strive for and deliver better healthcare. I am forever grateful for my training at UC San Diego."

Shanglei "Shawn" Liu, M.D., M.A.S.

Shanglei "Shawn" Liu, M.D., M.A.S., completed his undergraduate degree, medical degree, and master’s degree at UC San Diego from 2002 to 2017. His involvement with the UCSD Department of Surgery continued with his completion of General Surgery Residency and Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Fellowship in 2019. He is now an Assistant Professor of Surgery at UC San Diego Health.

"I’ve spent the majority of my higher education years at UCSD including college, medical school, masters degree, and general surgery residency. More than the prestigious research, the cutting edge technology, and the gorgeous campus, the thing I have appreciated the most about UCSD is the wonderful people that work and teach here. From the techs and nurses that I have worked with in all odd hours taking care of patients in the hospital day and night, to the mentors that taught me how to turn knowledge into lifesaving decisions in order to become a good doctor, and to the co-residents who survived the trial by fire with me to become lifelong friends. To me, UCSD is more than just the place where I trained. It is where my family is at."

Yamileth Del Carmen Nicolau Gleghor, M.D.

Yamileth Del Carmen Nicolau Cleghor, M.D., completed an Otolaryngology residency at UC San Diego from 2007-2013, following medical school at Universidad de Panama Faculty of Medicine. She is now affiliated with Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood and Memorial Hermann Northeast in Humble, Texas.

"I feel very blessed and proud to have trained at UCSD for my Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Residency. 

We had a wonderful faculty and the training was exceptional. I have very fond memories of each of the mentors that shaped our professional future.  I enjoyed spending our days in the operating room and doing a wide variety of cases, learning different techniques and sharing experiences with the attending physicians and fellow residents.  We had the opportunity to rotate through different hospital systems, including UCSD Hillcrest, Thornton, VA Hospital, Scripps and Kaiser, that truly enriched our experience.  We had excellent training and felt confident when we graduated.

We had a small program, but the quality of the residents was truly amazing. They were smart, capable, hard working, and went on to pursue great careers, including academic and private practices. Our residency group was very close and I made some of my best friendships during this time.

My years living in San Diego, specifically La Jolla was time I will never forget.  The beautiful weather, the beaches and the scenery made it easy to enjoy any time off from the demands of residency.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have trained at UCSD and keep these amazing memories close to my heart."

Wesley Low, M.D.

Wesley Low, M.D., is a Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Specialist in Baldwin Park, CA and has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from University of Southern California School of Medicine medical school in 1991. 

“It was a wonderful experience completing six years of internship, residency and a research fellowship at UC San Diego Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. I grew up in San Diego and attended UC San Diego in Revelle College followed by medical school in Los Angeles at USC then came home for residency. I remember and greatly appreciate a program of excellent physician/surgeon/researcher role models led by Dr. Jeffrey Harris. In my General Surgery internship, I vividly recall the high quality cutting edge trauma center and the late night operations on Red Service with the great Dr. Marshall Orloff. In HNS, we had an extraordinary family of dedicated faculty and residents pushing the forefront of all aspects of the specialty. I remember opening up Thornton Hospital and treating the wonderful veterans at San Diego VA Hospital and Las Vegas VA Outpatient Center. I got to know Las Vegas very well. The Children’s Hospital experience with the renowned Drs. Seid, Pransky, and Kearns was fantastic. The operative experience with Dr. Roberto Cueva Neurotology/Skull Base at  Kaiser San Diego was invaluable. We had two young faculty, Dr. Anthony Magit and Dr. Lisa Orloff, who started the same time I began residency. We grew up together through shared experiences and challenges. Both are fantastic role models to me to this day. I had the privilege to research with Dr. Allen Ryan in cochlear hair cell protection and regeneration, which led to publications and national presentations. It was an intense excellent training experience balanced with the beautiful weather, scenery, and culture of San Diego. My training enabled me to become Chief of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Audiology, and Speech Pathology at Kaiser Baldwin Park Medical Center and I have served in this role for over 18 years. I practice all aspects of HNS with special emphasis in otology and thyroid surgery. I was honored to help advance the specialty by serving on the AAO-HNS national endocrine surgery committee for four years. Being part of the leadership of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group with over 7000 physicians including 120 Head and Neck Surgeons all these years, I was able to help shape care delivery of the specialty in Southern California. Most recently, I helped the group navigate through the immense ever changing challenges of Covid-19 pandemic.  I am very fortunate to have been able to raise my family a few blocks from the beach in Carlsbad. I have also witnessed the phenomenal growth in size and stature of UC San Diego, especially the School of Medicine. I am proud to still be involved supporting and contributing as a UC San Diego Chancellor’s Associate for over 15 years."Wesley Low, M.D., is a Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Specialist in Baldwin Park, CA and has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from University of Southern California School of Medicine medical school in 1991. 

Christopher Reid, M.D.

Christopher Reid, M.D., is a plastic surgeon with expertise in microsurgery, breast reconstruction, complex reconstruction, and cosmetic surgery of the breast and body. He performs breast reconstruction with free flap methods such as DIEP and PAP flaps, along with other techniques. As an expert in microsurgery, Dr. Reid can operate on a very small scale, which often involves reconnecting blood vessels that are millimeters in size.

"It was a true pleasure to complete surgical training at UC San Diego. I still remember my first rotation in surgery as a medical student here under the guidance of Dr. Jen Berumen. She was really inspiring and codified my interest in applying for surgical residency. It seemed like a no brainer to pursue the opportunity to remain in San Diego. I was thoroughly impressed by the residents (Dr. David Lazar & Dr. Nicole Lopez for example) who displayed technical skill, leadership, remarkable clinical capabilities, and camaraderie all under the guidance of the amazing Dr. David Easter 'DE the PD.'

Circa 2011 the General Surgery residency saw its most illustrious intern class, of which I was privileged to be a member. My compadres included the likes of Dr. Ryan Broderick and Dr. Luis Cajas. During my time in general surgery training, I felt I got a tremendously valuable experience clinically and professionally from the amazing faculty (shout out to the VA) and my fellow residents. We took care of one another, and the senior residents inspired their juniors. They also displayed the path to excellence in research and patient care.

Luck strikes twice it turns out, when I was able to remain at UC San Diego for residency in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. This remarkable Division empowered me with the skills to have a wonderful practice doing breast reconstruction/microsurgery, orthopedic oncologic reconstruction, limb salvage, and any other sort of reconstructive microsurgery one can think of.

UC San Diego is a really remarkable place, with amazing people."

Benjamin E. Kellogg, M.D.

Benjamin E. Kellogg, M.D., works primarily in a small rural critical access hospital in Dayton, Tennessee as a partner in a large private practice surgery group, University Surgical Associates, based in Chattanooga. He is also an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and train residents on their rural surgery rotation.

Completing my general surgery residence at UCSD was an honor and I have many fond memories of my time there. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of hard days and nights full of hard work. But I recognize that this, and being pushed by the amazing faculty, truly prepared me for my career in general surgery even better than I realized at the time. I am grateful for the preparation and training that I received at UCSD, which has allowed me to do what I love. I frequently reflect on the positive ways in which the faculty trained me as I teach the residents who rotate with me now on their rural surgery rotation here in Tennessee. I also recollect the great camaraderie developed with my fellow residents and still maintain some of those relationships. Some memories that stand out to me, which many previous graduates can probably relate to, include:

• Sweating it out with Dr. Potenza in the burn room.
• Being serenaded with “Rocky Top Tennessee” by Dr. Bansal every time we scrubbed together.
• The never ending shake and bakes with Dr. Lowy.
• Getting grilled in front of everyone during M&M.
• Surfing with co-residents when weekend days off lined up.
• My chief’s roast video by my junior residents that featured me with a strong southern accent operating in a makeshift OR in a garage somewhere in the south."

Albert Merati, M.D.

Albert Merati, M.D., is an internationally recognized leader in Laryngology and heads up the Laryngology program at the University of Washington, now widely recognized among the world leaders in clinical care, scholarship, and training in our field.   He has over 120 peer reviewed publications and also is the lead editor for the Textbook of Laryngology. Dr. Merati has served as Senior Examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and as a Vice President of the Triological Society.  Dr. Merati has earned two Distinguished Service awards from the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery and is Past-President of the AAOHNS as well as of the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, joining two other Otolaryngologists of the modern era who have held both offices.  

"The Department of Surgery offered a breadth of leadership styles and a healthy brand of competition that appealed to me; I valued the integration of Head & Neck Surgery into the department as a whole and believe that this cross-disciplinary team experience helped me better prepare for the fine art of bringing physicians from varying perspectives together – and keeping them together. There was a total commitment to clinical fundamentals while simultaneously maintaining a ferocious hold on our research training. Many trainees coming from the outside didn’t always appreciate the world-class science going on across the UCSD campus and in the area. All this and Babs Moossa!

We survived and thrived during some very difficult years in the early '90s. The economic depression as challenges to the training environment  – both clinical and research – faced all of our leaders in the early 90s. I am grateful to Dr. Harris and our Department/School of Medicine leadership for keeping their eye on our core elements – deep and rich clinical training as well as our NIDCD (in our case) funded research experience as we carried on, added faculty, grew and continued to be a strong and successful division within the Department of Surgery. 

I remember the late Terry Davidson and his intensely protective approach to his trainees – focused on our rest and health long before this was discussed. Terry (in 1995 no less) once asked me during a case if I had had enough sleep the night before (he had heard I was up). He knew I had a particularly special case up next (an open supraglottic laryngectomy) and suggested I go to the call room and take a nap so I have a good experience with that upcoming case later that day.  Jeff Harris and Bob Cueva did elegant ear surgery – even though I don’t do this work now, it taught me how to do fine and precision work under a microscope (…although 400mm is tougher than 250mm to be sure….). In conversation with patients to this day I still turn my head to the side like Allen Seid from Children’s hospital did – he wanted to show the families he was listening. I want to do the same. 

Professionally I was as ready as any trainee could be with regard to clinical care as I headed into my academic career. We had seen it and done it all with various levels of supervision.  

There are many more stories to tell.  And yes, we scoped a giant panda for a nosebleed at the zoo. Perhaps another day for that one." 

Quinton S. Gopen, M.D.

Quinton S. Gopen, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Head and Neck Surgery as well as Neurosurgery at UCLA Medical Center. He also currently is the Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Gopen serves as the program director for medical students rotating through the department and is an oral and written board examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology.

"I was fortunate enough to serve as the neurotology fellow at UC San Diego from 2004 – 2006 under Dr. Jeffrey Harris, the Chief of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Harris is a true master in the field and is internationally renowned for his surgical acumen and research expertise. I recall  entering the fellowship with only a very basic understanding in this area and really depended on Dr. Harris and his mentorship to provide me with the necessary knowledge and skill set I would need to propel my career over the subsequent 15 years since my graduation. My training during my tenure at UC San Diego was exceptional and comprehensive in all aspects of patient care, including medical and surgical practice. Dr. Harris gave me the support I needed in complex and difficult cases yet allowed me to grow and mature my own practice with measured independence when appropriate. I also had the opportunity to participate in didactic and informal teaching with the residents, medical students, and audiology students. I was particularly enthralled by the stories Dr. Harris shared with me about how he accomplished his research innovations in autoimmune inner ear disease and the tremendous breakthroughs he was able to make in that field. I am forever grateful for my time I spent training at UCSD – the entire faculty always treated me with respect and support!"

Robert J. Winchell, M.D.

Robert J. Winchell, M.D., is Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair for Quality, Professor of Surgery in Medicine in the Division of Medical Ethics, and Chief of the Division of Trauma, Burns, Acute and Critical Care at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. As past chair of the Trauma Systems Evaluation and Planning committee, he has played a fundamental role in developing the Trauma Systems Consultation program of American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and continues to serve the COT as a special consultant for international quality programs.  He has been deeply involved in the development and evolution of trauma systems nationally and throughout the world, including work with the WHO Global Alliance for the Care of the Injured.

"My surgical training and early academic career at UCSD coincided with a time of pioneering and unprecedented development in trauma care that influenced the field in fundamental ways. I began my internship at UCSD the summer that the San Diego County trauma system was founded, and spent the next 16 years learning from and contributing to an unparalleled environment of development and productivity, as the level 1 trauma center at UCSD and the San Diego County trauma system became models for the care of the injured at a national and international level. Without question the core team in that era profoundly shaped me as a professional, and the experience has guided me throughout the subsequent years. I proudly trace my academic roots and my strongest personal and professional relationships to my years at UCSD.

But beyond all of this, I met my wife at UCSD, and that is the best memory of all."

John Steele, M.D.

John Steele, M.D., is the Trauma Medical Director at Palomar Medical Center. Dr. Steele is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has also held distinguished roles with the Naval Medical Center in San Diego.

“I was a Trauma Critical Care fellow from 1994-1996 with Dr. Hoyt, Dr. Simmons, and Dr. Winchell as the leadership. I had the privilege of training with Raul Coimbra, Mark Healy, and Bruce Potenza who were fellows with me. I appreciate the people of that experience the most.  All of them, including the ICU nursing staff, were instrumental in my professional development.  I was exposed to the template that continues to guide my practice and management as a Trauma Program Medical Director.”

Christina Metildi, M.D.

Christina Metildi, M.D., is now at a private practice group in Tucson, AZ - Arizona Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Ltd. and holds community-faculty appointments at Banner University of Arizona as clinical assistant professors working with general surgery residents.

"It has been more than a few years since I completed my training in General Surgery and still today, I am extremely grateful and appreciative of the high quality training I received at UC San Diego. The exposure to so many subspecialties of General Surgery prepared me well for a career in Pediatric Surgery. With each case I perform today, I reflect on these vast experiences and lessons learned from the dedicated and talented faculty that helped me hone my skills. I learned perfect tissue handling from Dr. Anne Wallace and valuable minimally invasive techniques from Dr. Santiago Horgan. The lessons learned during complex liver and pancreaticobiliary surgeries with Drs. Andrew Lowy and Alan Hemming continue to be relevant in my practice, as well as the time spent with Dr. Michael Bouvet performing endocrine and foregut surgery. In addition, I heavily relied on my training from the elite trauma faculty tending to the many pediatric gunshot wounds during fellowship in St. Louis and during the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct 1, 2017 as a junior attending. The research experience with Dr. Bouvet and the support from Dr. David Easter to pursue a Masters in Clinical Research broadened my skill set and knowledge base. I can confidently say the high-quality of general surgery residents at UC San Diego has been unmatched by any other program I have since worked. In addition to my training, the relationships and friendships I developed during my time in San Diego have been long-lasting and invaluable. The opportunity to play softball with friends and colleagues year-round because of the perfect weather was incredible. For that, San Diego will always hold a special place in my heart. I am very impressed with the growth of the program under the leadership of Dr. Bryan Clary and I am excited about the future of General Surgery at UC San Diego.

An update of where I am today…

I now am in a private practice group in Tucson, AZ - Arizona Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Ltd. We work out of Tucson Medical Center and hold community-faculty appointments at Banner University of Arizona as clinical assistant professors working with general surgery residents. I moved here to be closer to my parents with my growing family. My partner and I have an 8-month-old daughter with plans to have another one in the future. I don’t play as much softball these days but am very active in Crossfit and general fitness, and working on my golf game. I’m excited about upcoming opportunities to work with the Tucson Medical Center community in starting an adolescent bariatric program to fight childhood obesity and bringing robotic surgery to pediatric surgery."

Angela Chang, M.D.

David Hoyt, M.D.

David Hoyt, M.D., is a nationally renowned trauma surgeon who has served as Executive Director of American College of Surgeons, since 2010. He has also achieved the Fellow American of Surgeons (FACS) designation. He has held distinguished roles with the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Medical Center, including Chairman of Department of Surgery; Executive Vice Dean of the School of Medicine and the John E. Connolly Professor of Surgery.

"I remember it as if yesterday: Walking across the parking lot of the Pacific Plaza on Grand Ave in Pacific Beach going to pick something up on a Saturday in 1977. I had my pager with me and it went off….trauma patient with gunshot wound. It came to me that I was fascinated by the uncertainty, complexity and opportunity of the trauma patient. That very afternoon I decided to become a trauma surgeon. Clinical interests, the need to know everything about every operation, my research interest in shock, and the immunological response to injury all started there at UC San Diego. The associated opportunities at that time in San Diego were unparalleled and proved to be the most fertile environment to start my career. That experience of being exposed to stimulating people devoted to science, and pursuing clinical excellence through quality improvement were born for me. Now 45 years later, as I was on a zoom call with a CEO from Chicago of a major educational delivery platform I had the UCSD medical center as my background, the CEO said he knew that place. He then told a story of being at a conference in San Diego and of being a pedestrian struck by an Uber cab. He had been taken to that trauma center where he not only survived and recovered but felt he received great care. I will always be proud to have trained there and been a part of the UCSD legacy for 30 years."

David Alexander Zacuto Frankel, M.D.

David Alexander Zacuto Frankel, M.D., continues to call San Diego home as Division Head of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery for the Scripps Clinic at Torrey Pines.

"I truly believe I received an excellent education during my residency in general surgery at UC San Diego. The word that comes to mind is comprehensive. At that time we were exposed to multiple specialties and multiple institutions within and outside the UCSD system.  We walked the halls with surgical giants including Dr. Marshall Orloff, Dr. AR Moossa, and Dr. David Hoyt while at the same time ushering in the minimally invasive and endovascular revolutions.  I am personally indebted to my mentors Dr. David Easter and Dr. Erik Owens for encouraging my specific interests and keeping me grounded.  I have no doubt that my positive experience at UCSD and the dedication to education and research indelibly shaped my surgical career and without it I would not be in the position I am today."

Luis Cajas-Monson, M.D., M.P.H.

Luis Cajas-Monson, M.D., M.P.H., is a vascular surgeon in Rochester, Minn. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2011 and completed his General Surgery residency at UC San Diego in 2017.

"Reflecting back on my time in general surgery training brings back a flood of memories and emotions. I feel that the 7 years spent at UCSD were the years that formed me into a fully functioning adult.

There are three aspects that I most appreciate about UC San Diego. First, the flexibility that it allowed me to pursue growth in medical knowledge and surgical skills at my own pace and interest, but also with enough guidance to constantly push me to my limits and push me to be the best surgeon, physician, and person that I could be.

Second, mentorship. This is a big determinant of the success of any given individual. I found some of the strongest mentors and role models at UCSD. Years after graduating, I still find myself calling upon these mentors for advice and look up to their leadership.

Lastly, social life. Residency was truly like joining a new family. Some of my best friends are the people with whom I spent day after day training and caring for patients. I met my wife through one of these friends and the culture at UCSD has always been supportive and caring toward family life.

In summary, UCSD helped me become the person and surgeon that I am today. It also embodies the virtues and attitude that I will continue to embrace and put into practice as I continue my career as a vascular surgeon."

Hop Tran Cao, M.D.

On a personal note, I am so thankful to have met my lovely wife and partner in life, Carol, in medical school at UCSD. Our relationship grew over the years thanks to the support of Dr. Talamini, who identified the opportunity for her transfer back to UC San Diego during her OB-GYN internship, and of Dr. Anne Wallace, who encouraged me to finally pop the question.

To this day, I still consider San Diego my hometown, not just because of the city or the weather, but especially because of the people at UCSD who were and remain my extended family."

Al Hassanein, M.D., M.M.S.C.

Al Hassanein, M.D., M.M.S.C., is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is also a Plastic Surgeon specializing in reconstructive microsurgery and also have a basic science lab focused on lymphedema.

"My years as a general surgery resident at UCSD (2006-2013) were formative. They helped shape me as all around physician by learning to care for critically ill trauma and burn patients. Serving those who had served our country at the VA San Diego under the leadership of Dr. Erik Owens was very rewarding. My program director Dr. David Easter facilitated optimal education and resident advocacy. Even as a reconstructive plastic microsurgeon, I use what I learned from those experiences daily. I am most fond of the close camaraderie we had as residents and our enjoyment of what the wonderful city of San Diego had to offer. Being able to operate with my brother Omar Hassanein, who was also a UC San Diego general surgery resident with me is the most memorable experience."

Jane Yanagawa, M.D.

Jane Yanagawa, M.D., is a thoracic surgeon with Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. She completed two residencies with the UC San Diego Department of Surgery in 2007 and 2011.

“Wow, I thought residency was so hard! You don't realize while you're going through it, but you really just grow up during that experience. I am reminded that I was "raised" by our UCSD faculty now more than ever as an attending myself. Every time I teach a medical student how to suture, I tell them, "This is how Dr. Wallace taught me!" When I suggest to residents that they should prepare for cases by going through the exercise of writing the op note BEFORE the case, I always tell them that advice came from Dr. Easter. But, mostly, I associate residency at UCSD with my wonderful peers. Bonded by our common heritage, I loved and respected my co-residents so much, then and now.”

Ryan Broderick, M.D.

Ryan C. Broderick, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery in the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery at UC San Diego. He is also a general surgeon with the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.

“Residency years at UC San Diego were some of the most challenging, rewarding, and enjoyable of my life. The clinical expertise is truly outstanding; by the end of training, I felt I was ready for anything. Additionally, UCSD is rich with innovative thinkers who promote taking good care of patients, but also creating solutions to improve surgical outcomes overall. The camaraderie of the residency truly makes UCSD Surgery like one big family. I formed many lifelong friendships with my co-residents, faculty, and staff. I even met my wife (a nurse at the VA) during my training! The faculty are incredibly supportive, with anyone willing to provide mentorship even in the midst of busy schedules.

After completing residency, I was lucky enough to get to stay for my MIS fellowship under the guidance of Drs. Horgan, Jacobsen, Sandler, and Cheverie. I was given the opportunity to learn therapeutic endoscopy and many other advanced laparoscopic/robotic techniques. The breadth and depth of training at UCSD is unmatched. Although I have only recently completed my training, I will continue to look back fondly at my residency and fellowship, and pay forward the skills I learned to the next generations.”

Aaron R. Sasson, M.D.

Aaron R. Sasson, M.D., is the Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Stony Brook University School of Medicine and the Director of Clinical Operations at the Stony Brook Cancer Center. He is also a Clinical Professor of Surgery, Director of Surgical Oncology services, Co-Director of the GI Oncology Management Team and Acting Chief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since graduating from the UC San Diego Department of General Surgery residency. As a faculty member at an academic medical center working with general surgery residents, I often reflect upon my own training. I feel most fortunate to have been able to train under the auspices of surgical leaders. At the time, it was difficult to fully appreciate the stature of the senior faculty members nor predict the potential of rising stars in the junior faculty. I am most grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have trained under such esteemed surgeons.  Equally as important, I fondly recall the experiences and friendships that I’ve developed during my training. We share a bond that developed from working and socializing together, from dinners in the cafeteria to vacations. I can honestly say that my years of training at UC San Diego were some of the most enjoyable in my surgical career.”

Ava Hosseini, M.D.

Ava Hosseini, M.D., is a surgical oncologist and board-certified general surgeon who specializes in breast health, including breast cancer and benign breast disease. She has presented at numerous national meetings and has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals, including Annals of Surgical Oncology, Journal of Surgical Oncology, European Journal of Surgical Oncology, Breast Cancer Reports, and Journal of Surgical Research. Dr. Hosseini is a member of the American College of Surgeons, American Society of Breast Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, and the Association for Academic Surgery.

“I am incredibly fortunate to have been a general surgery resident at UC San Diego! The training I received was exceptional and prepared me well for fellowship and beyond. I am especially grateful for the faculty, who not only take excellent care of their patients but also serve as amazing role models. I definitely would not be where I am today without the mentorship of Dr. Anne Wallace, who supported me from early on in my training, and Dr. Sarah Blair. It was always my dream to return to UC San Diego as faculty after my fellowship, and I am thankful to be back working alongside my mentors at such an amazing institution!”

Kazuaki Takabe, M.D., Ph.D.

Kazuaki Takabe M.D., Ph.D., is Professor, Alfiero Foundation Chair and Clinical Chief of Breast Surgery at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center where he serves as the Leader of both the Breast Program and the Breast Service Line. He is also Professor of Surgery with Tenure, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York; Liaison Professor at Niigata University, as well as Affiliated Professor at Yokohama City University, Tokyo Medical University, and Fukushima Medical University, Japan. 

“What I can say with certainty is that I would not be where I am today without my General Surgery Residency training at UC San Diego. The quantity and the quality of clinical training were both extensive and exceptional. By the time of graduation, I was very comfortable with any imaginable surgical situation. In addition to the outstanding training in clinical surgery, the UC San Diego program developed me into a leader. 

To this day I still remember when I was a PGY3 resident, I was focusing on the accumulation of knowledge, honing my surgical and patient interaction skills, and fast and accurate communication with the chief residents and attendings. That was not enough for Dr. David Hoyt in the Trauma bay, who demanded that I grow out of my shell to become a leader from a follower. Although I did not choose trauma surgery as my career, the leadership training I received at UC San Diego became my foundation to currently lead the Breast Program that won multiple NIH funding grants with more than 320 publications in the last 3 years, and to lead the Breast Service Line with 25 faculty and more than 1200 new cases every year. 

I was very fortunate to learn from all three first Chairs of Department of Surgery, Drs. M. Orloff, A.R. Moosa and M. Talamini, who each had unique leadership styles. I also treasure the friendships and bonds I developed during my residency. Seeing my mentors, Drs. M. Bouvet and S. Blair, as well as my peers, Drs. W. Zhou, S. Krishnaswami, D. Chu, W. Al-Refaie, M. Katz, and many others at the national meetings, making an impact in the field of surgery, motivates me to move forward. These relationships helped me navigate my way through my career and have been my inspiration.”

Jennifer Baker, M.D.

Jennifer Baker, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Surgery, General Surgery Division, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She previously served as an intern, resident, post-doctoral research fellow and chief resident for general surgery at UC San Diego before becoming a fellow in breast surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

“My experience at UC San Diego training in General Surgery prepared me exceptionally well technically, clinically, and professionally for a career in academic surgery. The faculty are all strong clinicians and educators; and most are change-agents and leaders in their field. The energy for optimal patient care and critical thinking beyond what is standard was palpable in the OR, on the wards, and in the lab and training in that environment created inspiration and humility every day. I am especially grateful for the faculty in the Breast Surgery and Surgical Oncology department who were my highest role models, greatest mentors, and strongest supporters. In particular, Dr. Clary, Dr. Lowy, Dr. Blair, Dr. Wallace, and Dr. Sicklick. I would not be where I am today without their encouragement, and their example continues to influence my own practice and academic endeavors daily.

I couldn’t imagine a better place to train and I can’t express how much gratitude and love I have for this place. Thank you UCSD Surgery!”

Travis Wilder, M.D.

Travis Wilder, M.D., is a Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellow at Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He was previously a general surgery junior and senior resident at UC San Diego.

“The most important factor influencing my career path has been the extraordinary mentorship I've received throughout my training. My story is probably not unique in that I have arrived at my current position because of the influence and interactions I've had with enthusiastic and thoughtful educators, who are passionate about their career. The Surgery Department at UC San Diego not only set the foundation but also fostered my desire to pursue a career in congenital heart surgery. In addition to the terrific mentorship I received during my time at UCSD, I am also grateful for the wonderful friendships I developed while living in San Diego – many of whom were among the amazing residents at UCSD. By the end of my time in San Diego, I felt like the faculty and co-residents transitioned from mentors and colleagues to a family that would support me throughout my journey. I am greatly indebted to many great friends and faculty. I am especially appreciative to Dr. Eugene Golts for providing hours of operative and clinical mentorship as well as Dr. Bryan Clary for his continued support to pursue an academic career. I would also like to thank the graduating general surgery class of 2017 who were the backbone of emotional support during residency.” 

Laura Godat, M.D.

Laura Godat, M.D., is Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery in the Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, Burns & Acute Care Surgery. She is Associate Residency Director of General Surgery, Clinic Medical Director of Trauma and Burns and Assistant Trauma Director.

“I am incredibly lucky to have been afforded the opportunity to come to UC San Diego for my Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. The training I received is second-to-none and I would recommend this program to anyone! Clinically, working side by side with the faculty in the division I was able to get the breadth and depth of knowledge needed to feel confident managing the sickest surgical patients. In addition, I was able to spend time developing my clinical research skills and preparing for my career as an academic surgeon. However, to this day if anyone asks me what makes the Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, Burns and Acute Care Surgery special, I say it is the people. The commitment this group has to patients, the academic mission and each other is palpable; this is why when I was given the opportunity to stay on as faculty there was no hesitation. I am forever grateful to have trained here.”

Lily Lai, M.D.

Lily Lai, M.D., is a surgeon specializing in colorectal and breast cancers. She is also associate cancer center director of the comprehensive cancer center at City of Hope. Dr. Lai joined City of Hope in 1998, after medical training at UC San Diego.

“This month, I stepped back on the campus after almost a 20-year hiatus, with Dr. Sarah Blair acting as a mighty good tour guide. Boy, how the campus has changed! What used to be the only building on the site – the Thornton Hospital, as it was known in the early 1990s – has now been subsumed by the newer developments. The architectural changes are symbolic of the exciting changes in the department, medical center, and medical school. I am so proud to have been a part of the ongoing growth and development of the UC San Diego medical and surgical legacy.

My time at UC San Diego, both as a medical student and then as a general surgery resident, actively informs my current clinical work and academic endeavors. The strength of the basic sciences underscores my understanding of anatomy and disease. The excellence and innovation in clinical surgery have guided my own trajectory as a cancer surgeon. And finally, the mentoring from the surgical faculty has motivated me to continue in their footsteps by being involved in surgical training education.

And I can’t wait to see what further changes will happen in the department and campus in 20 years!”

Eugene Golts, M.D.

Eugene Golts, M.D., is an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery in the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Director of the Lung Transplantation. Dr. Golts completed his General Surgery Residency at UC San Diego in 2006, and his Thoracic Surgery Residency in 2008.

"Residency years are the best years on the path to becoming a physician. I am lucky to have spent them at UC San Diego in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery. Moving to San Diego from the Midwest was an easy decision—helped by the fact that it was -10F in Chicago and 72F in San Diego on the date of my residency interview. The training was superb. I was fortunate to learn from the giants in the field of surgery like Drs. M. Orloff, A. Moosa and D. Hoyt. Training was tough, with a lot of clinical responsibilities placed on the shoulders of the resident teams. But by the end of my General Surgery training I felt that there was no clinical situation I would be intimidated by. Countless hours spent in the Trauma bay at Hillcrest, in the Operating Rooms at Thornton and on the wards at VA morphed our surgical group in a tight-knit family. We forged strong bonds between peers and our mentors. These bonds continue to support us long after graduation.

I chose to stay and do my Thoracic Residency training at UC San Diego as well. Under the guidance of the Program founder Dr. Stuart Jamieson and current Division Chief Dr. Michael Madani, both of whom are my mentors, the program became the world leader in treatment of pulmonary hypertension. It was an absolute privilege to learn from them. Our training was of the highest possible quality. In keeping with UC San Diego tradition, our current surgical residents continue to make us proud."

Patrick Byrne, M.D., M.B.A.

Patrick Byrne, M.D., M.B.A., is the Director of the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Director of the Johns Hopkins Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship. He is a Professor of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, and Professor of Dermatology, at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

“I adored my time at UC San Diego training in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. I can say with certainty that surgical training during my years there was as high quality as anywhere I have been. We had a fairly small, yet mighty, faculty. I really appreciated how strong the training was as the years went by. All aspects of the field were busy, with excellent clinicians leading the way. I loved doing complex head and neck cancer surgery, free tissue transfer, rhinoplasties, and an enormous amount of Mohs reconstructions. The faculty and staff felt like a family. I recall the joy of living along the sand in Pacific Beach, the satisfaction and quirks of the VA, the beauty of Thornton when it opened, and the charm of the neighborhoods around Hillcrest. We had excellent basic science opportunities and mentorship. The quality of the residents was unquestionably as strong – or stronger – than anywhere I have had the pleasure of working. We had some amazingly talented and driven residents. I am very appreciative of Jeff Harris’ leadership of this division, and will always be so grateful that I was provided a chance to train there.”

Kelley Hodgkiss-Harlow, M.D.

Kelley Hodgkiss-Harlow, M.D., is the Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Kaiser Permanente San Diego.  She completed her general surgery residency at UC San Diego in 2009.  

"Having participated in research with the trauma division during my time at UC San Diego medical school, I knew that if I stayed at UC San Diego for my general surgery training, I would be training with some of the best attendings in the field.  I was fortunate to matriculate with a group of strong co-residents and seniors who helped shepherd me to success.  In fact, I still work with two chiefs of my graduating class and am happy to call them close friends.  My interest in vascular surgery was discovered around my third year of residency and I never looked back!  I headed into my vascular fellowship fully confident in my ability to take care of the surgical patient, and I have never doubted my training as the years have progressed.  Thankfully, I was able to return to San Diego for my ultimate job, and am pleased to say I continue to enjoy my work immensely.  Vascular surgery is such a creative and innovative field—there is always something new to discover and learn to master.  I truly believe that UC San Diego general surgery gave me the foundation to succeed in a challenging and progressive field."

Anna Weiss, M.D.

Anna Weiss, M.D., is a breast surgical oncologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, and an Executive Officer in the Alliance for clinical trials in oncology. She is a 2016 alumnus of UC San Diego’s general surgery residency program, then breast surgical oncology fellowship at MD Anderson. She recently received the award for best paper for, “Assessing the Domino Effect: Female Physician Industry Payments Fall Short, Parallel Gender Inequalities in Medicine” at the Association of Women Surgeons’ Annual Meeting in October.

“My training at UC San Diego laid a strong foundation for success in academic medicine. The members of the Division of Surgical Oncology taught me to think critically about complex cancer patients, to work seamlessly with multidisciplinary colleagues, and to challenge myself and my trainees to learn more daily. Aside from patient care, the inclusive environment at UC San Diego and the creation of the Women in Surgery group during my residency made a lasting impact. Dr. Sarah Blair and Dr. Sonia Ramamoorthy were tremendous mentors to so many of us. I’m so happy to carry that torch to my position at Brigham’s, mentoring the Women in Surgery interest group. Thank you UC San Diego!”

Patrick Bosarge, M.D.

Patrick Bosarge, M.D., serves as the Trauma/Burn Intensive Care Unit Medical Director; the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Director; and Associate Professor at UAB. He did his Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at UC San Diego.

“I remember interviewing for the trauma fellowship and thinking ‘Wow, this place has it all.’  The clinical experience seemed extraordinary and the potential spring board into becoming a productive academic surgeon was second to none.  I felt honored when I was chosen for the fellowship at UC San Diego, as I was confident that my further surgical critical care education would be superior. 

One of the most important aspects of my training was the relationships that I developed with faculty, staff, and residents alike.  While my academic and professional needs were being cultivated, the community that makes up UC San Diego Surgery became family, both literally and figuratively.  From obtaining career advice to being nominated for prestigious organizations to having social gatherings when possible, my friends, colleagues and mentors from UC San Diego play an immense role in my continued advancement as a surgeon, scientist, educator, and administrator. 

Every day, I fondly apply the lessons I learned while in San Diego.  Although I was only in a single year fellowship, my time at UC San Diego helped position me to continue to advance my career in exactly the direction I wanted to go.”

Nicole Lopez, M.D.

Nicole Lopez, M.D., an Assistant Professor of Surgery, joined the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery in August 2017. Dr. Lopez received her MD from the University in Minnesota, and completed her general surgery residency at UC San Diego. She completed a fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology from the University of North Carolina, and a fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

“I ended up at UC San Diego because I was lucky. I remember being a medical student interviewing for residency—when I finished my interview day here I felt as though I had found home. There’s really no better way to explain it. I remember meeting the residents and thinking: I want these people to be my best friends. I felt similarly about the attendings. I can still picture the rooms in MPF where I interviewed. I met with Dr. Potenza, Dr. Ramamoorthy, and Dr. Easter. They were all extremely warm and friendly and I hoped I would have the opportunity to learn from them.

After completing residency at UC San Diego, I left for a fellowship, worried that I might not be prepared. However, within a few weeks, I realized how well equipped I was. UC San Diego provided an excellent foundation for surgical proficiency. Looking back, though, I am most grateful for the people I met and the friendships I made here. The people here are special, and are the main reason I felt such conviction in my desire to come back after fellowship training. It could not have been more fitting that when I went out looking for jobs, I ended up right where I began—interviewing with Dr. Ramamoorthy, hoping for a chance to call UC San Diego home again.” 

Joslin Cheverie, M.D.

Joslin Cheverie, M.D., joined the UC San Diego team in April 2018 as Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery in the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). Dr. Cheverie completed her MIS fellowship training at UC San Diego in 2013, and her surgical training at the University of Toronto in 2012. She is an active Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.

“Having trained at UC San Diego in fellowship, it is truly full circle to be back. The skills attained during my fellowship have been invaluable. There is a sense of teamwork and passion within the Minimally Invasive Surgery group that is not easily replicated. As a trainee, I was able to observe the clinical acumen and technical precision of each of my three mentors as it pertained to their specific niche. I have called on these mentors many a time in the years since my training—a testament to the comradery of this surgical family!

Returning to UC San Diego as faculty, I now have the privileged opportunity to polish the skills I learned here, emulating my colleagues as I tailor my own practice. I am excited to join the future of surgery with research efforts in surgical technology, education, and patient care, and I look forward to embracing a new role as a teacher to the future surgeons within our residency program. It is truly an honor to become faculty at UC San Diego.”

Waddah Al-Refaie, M.D.

Waddah Al-Refaie, M.D., is Regional Director of Surgical Oncology and Vice Chair for Research at MedStar Washington Integrated Surgery Services; and Professor of Surgery at Georgetown University.

“As a proud alum of UCSD, I have nothing but fond memories of an amazing surgical residency and faculty educators. The surgical training was stellar, rigorous and most certainly allowed me to grow and flourish. The camaraderie among the residents was wonderful. UCSD did a great job positioning the residents in great jobs and fellowship.”

Michael Bouvet, M.D.

Michael Bouvet, M.D., is Professor of Surgery at UCSD where he serves as the Director of Endocrine Surgery within the Division of Surgical Oncology. He completed his General Surgery Residency at UCSD in 1995.  After completing a Fellowship in Surgical Oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1998, Dr. Bouvet returned to UCSD as faculty. In addition to his practice at UCSD, Dr. Bouvet is a part-time Staff Physician at the San Diego VA Healthcare System. Dr. Bouvet’s expertise includes performing surgery for benign and cancerous thyroid nodules; parathyroidectomy for hyperparathyroidism, Whipple procedures for pancreatic cancer; minimally invasive robotic-assisted esophagectomy; and laparoscopic adrenal surgery. His research focuses on fluorescence-guided surgery for gastrointestinal and endocrine tumors. Dr. Bouvet has National Cancer Institute and VA Merit Review research grants that aim to develop fluorescence guided surgery to improve the visualization, detection and resection of pancreatic and colon cancer. He has co-authored more than 300 articles, and his work has appeared in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Surgery, Annals of Surgical Oncology, and Cancer Research, among others.

“I was a resident at UCSD from 1989-1995.  When I started, we had only one hospital at Hillcrest. Thornton did not open until I was a chief resident.  The training that I had at UCSD was outstanding. I continue to stay in touch with my fellow residents, many of whom practice in San Diego. When I joined the faculty at UCSD in 1998, I had an opportunity to develop a practice in Surgical Oncology with a focus on Endocrine Surgery. I also greatly benefited from the research opportunities that UCSD had to offer. I was fortunate to have outstanding mentorship from Drs. A. R. Moossa and Robert Hoffman. Along the way, it has been a fun adventure. I am particularly grateful that I have had the privilege of mentoring residents in my lab as well as in the operating room. I especially enjoy helping the residents to develop and mature as surgeons and researchers in their own right. I am proud of our Division of Surgical Oncology which has grown enormously under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Lowy. I look forward to the future of the Department of Surgery and I continue to be amazed at how the UCSD Healthcare system continues to grow and expand.”

Alisa Coker, M.D.

Alisa Coker, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She did her general surgery residency at UC San Diego from 2009 to 2015, and a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery from 2015-2016 under the mentorship of Dr. Santiago Horgan and Dr. Garth Jacobsen. She recently received a grant to investigate the causes of reflux in sleeve gastrectomy and won a "service star" award for excellent patient care. 

“I have always told people that UCSD is a great program in an amazing location.  It wasn’t a hard decision to accept a position when I had the opportunity.  I felt the faculty at UCSD truly cared about the best interests of the residents and were very approachable – something that set UCSD apart from most programs.  With his leadership, Dr. Clary has continued to foster this culture. My seven years at UCSD were challenging and rewarding and I look back on them fondly.  I had the opportunity to learn from world class surgeons and make friendships that will last a lifetime. 

I was very fortunate to cross paths with Dr. Horgan and the minimally invasive team.  Working with them as a research fellow, and then as a clinical fellow, helped shaped my career.  The mentorship and opportunity that UCSD provided put me in a competitive position to obtain my dream job.  I still maintain close relationships with many of my co-residents and count many of my previous attendings as friends that I can count on for advice when needed.  I know several of my co-residents have joined the ranks of faculty at UCSD, which only gives me confidence that the program will remain strong.  As opposed to “moving on from” UCSD, I look forward to opportunities to collaborate with and continue my relationship with my alma mater.”  

Ava Hosseini, M.D.

Ava Hosseini, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery in the Division of Breast Surgery at UC San Diego. She did her general surgery residency at UC San Diego from 2010 to 2016, and a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at UC San Francisco.

“I chose UC San Diego for general surgery residency because I knew I would receive great training in all aspects of general surgery, especially surgical oncology, which was my passion from the start.  When I was interviewing and speaking with residents, I could see that the program at UC San Diego was very well-rounded and prepared residents for the next step—which was confirmed by the prestige of the fellowships and positions they took after leaving UC San Diego.

In addition to receiving a stellar education, arguably the most valuable part of my training was the amazing role models and mentors, who have proved hugely influential in my life.  In particular, my research year with Dr. Anne Wallace, Professor of Clinical Surgery and Chief of the Division of Breast Surgery cemented my desire to pursue a career in breast surgical oncology.  My dream was always to return to UC San Diego to work alongside these mentors, as well as to provide the same type of mentorship I received to future students and residents.  After completion of my fellowship at UC San Francisco, I joined the faculty in September 2017, and I could not be more grateful for this opportunity.” 

Tazo Inui, M.D.

Tazo Inui, M.D., is a Vascular Surgeon with The Permanente Medical Group, Greater Southern Alameda Area, Northern California. He completed his general surgery residency at UC San Diego, as well as a fellowship is vascular surgery from July 2015 to June 2017, under the mentorship of Dennis Bandyk.

“I came to do my surgery residency at UC San Diego because I was looking for a well-diversified training experience in an academic program. When I interviewed, I also liked that the institution was planning its future expansion. I stayed for fellowship for the same reasons, and was confident that I would graduate prepared to care for any vascular surgery patient. 

As important as the daily residency training were the many professional relationships and friendships I developed both inside and outside of UC San Diego. I nurtured my academic and professional interests at national meetings and in intramural opportunities, and keeping in touch with fellow trainees and my former faculty has been really gratifying as I’ve settled into my current job in the Bay Area (alongside a fellow UC San Diego surgery graduate, Dr. Joy Garg).

UC San Diego gave me an excellent training program, and an academic home. I also found a community of people I’m pleased to count as friends, colleagues, and mentors. In looking back, those benefits are mutual, and mutually reinforcing. It was a special 8 years with excellent co-workers, and I’m grateful for all my experiences.”

Shannon Castle, M.D.

Shannon Castle, M.D., is a Pediatric Surgery Fellow at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. She did her General Surgery Residency at UC San Diego from 2006-2014, including a research fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Sonia Ramamoorthy.

“I stayed at UCSD for my General Surgery residency after attending medical school in San Diego and seeing the high quality of the surgical training. I found that learning from day one how to care for trauma and ICU [intensive care unit] patients prepared me very well for my Surgical Critical Care fellowship and for ongoing care of complex children. Many of the skills I use daily I learned from surgeons and nurses in the Hillcrest  surgical ICU.”

Hannah Copeland, M.D.

Hannah Copeland, M.D., is Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi.  Copeland completed her general surgery residency at UC San Diego in 2012, before going on to Loma Linda University to complete a cardiothoracic surgery training program, and then a heart/lung and mechanical circulatory support fellowship at Indiana University.

“UCSD is an excellent residency program with an amazing infrastructure to support the residents both academically and socially. The program director cares about the residents’ wellbeing. The UCSD residency program is like a family. The faculty are exceptional mentors, who continue to be available as friends and mentors since I have graduated from the program five years ago. I am grateful for all the encouragement and support through my time at UCSD and for the wonderful education and the privilege to be exposed to novel surgical techniques and research. I am still close friends with co-residents from my graduating class.”

Michael Jon Clar, M.D.

Michael Clar, M.D., Chief of General Surgery at Kaiser Permanente San Diego, did his general surgery residency at UC San Diego between 1988-1993, before joining the Permanente Medical Group in 1993.

“My time at UCSD provided me with many important experiences. It has been almost 30 years since I was an intern at UCSD. First my most important experience was that I met my wife, Jan Phillips-Clar, when she was a respiratory therapist and I was and intern in the Burn Unit. She eventually became the Director of Respiratory Care at UC San Diego and now is retired. The second was the many mentors who have influenced my career. They include Drs. Stabile, Orloff, Moossa, Hye, Hoyt, Halasz and Davies, to mention just a few. The third was my surgical rotation at Kaiser Permanente, which I enthusiastically enjoyed. I was very fortunate that a position became available and that I was hired at KP San Diego. It’s hard to believe that I could have had a better experience at any other surgical residency.”

Carrie Peterson, M.D., M.S.

Carrie Peterson, M.D., M.S., is Assistant Professor in the Division of Colorectal Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she has worked since 2014. Peterson did her general surgery residency at UCSD between 2005 and 2012, and a research fellowship in UCSD’s Division of Trauma. After her residency training at UCSD, Peterson went to Memorial Sloan-Kettering for a fellowship in Colorectal Oncology, and then to Cornell/ NYP for an additional year of general Colorectal surgery training, before joining the faculty in Wisconsin.

“I remember my time at UCSD very fondly – there is no other experience quite like residency training. When I interviewed at UCSD, I was very impressed with the residents and the camaraderie between them. During my time in training, my fellow residents became like family to me – my intern class is still very close and we visit each other regularly despite the miles that are now between us. The department faculty grew exponentially during my years there and I was exposed to so much cutting-edge surgery, some of which has influenced my current career choices. The faculty are exceptional mentors and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their instructions, encouragement, and assistance. I am forever grateful for all they have done to help me be successful – that is the true sign of an exceptional education.”

Matthew Katz, M.D.

Matthew Katz, M.D., is Associate Professor, Chief of the Pancreatic Surgery Service, and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where he has worked since 2010. Katz trained at UC San Diego between 1999 and 2006, including as part of the general residency program, and as a postdoctoral researcher at Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“UC San Diego was the first residency interview I went on while in med school, and I knew I would go there immediately—I would have signed right then and there,” says Katz. “The most valuable part of my experience was the faculty, many of whom are largely responsible for any success I can claim to have had since graduation: Drs. Moossa, Bouvet, Easter, Hoyt, Coimbra, Orloff … the list goes on. It was a very special time in my career that I remember with both fondness and great pride.”