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Q & A with Santiago Horgan

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Professor Santiago Horgan, M.D., is the former chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, vice chair of business development in the Department of Surgery, director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute and director of the Center for the Future of Surgery. Horgan was the founder and driving force of the center, which is now one of the largest surgical training centers in the world. Now, he is stepping into a new role — vice president of medical and surgical advancement at Stryker Corporation.

December 18, 2024 | Interview by Samantha Phan

Why did you help found the Center for the Future of Surgery?

When I came to UC San Diego in 2006, my chair at the time, Mark Talamini, M.D., M.B.A., and I planned to build the biggest and most advanced surgical training center in the world. When I think about my motivation for this goal, I think about golf. When I golf, I train for hours before I go to a big tournament. The same is true for surgery: it needs to be practiced before the actual operation. Unfortunately, before places like the center existed, it was hard to practice procedures in advance. Instead, surgeons learned through experience, like operating on patients.

Training outside the operating room is so important, especially for minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery. I helped create the Center for the Future of Surgery in 2011 as a place for trainees to learn and practice the latest techniques in surgical excellence.   

It is now almost 2025, nearly 14 years after the Center for the Future of Surgery first opened. In what ways have you seen the center grow and develop over time?

The Center for the Future of Surgery was built with love and passion. When the center first opened, we were focused on training for minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery. Since then, we have expanded to include other specialties, including plastic surgery, vascular surgery, colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, transplant surgery and trauma surgery, among others. We also opened a microsurgery suite, where surgeons practice using advanced microscopes to restore small tissues. To keep up with the latest technology, we replace our equipment regularly. The Center for the Future of Surgery and UC San Diego use all kinds of technology from different companies, and we evolve as new technologies are released. Having access to that equipment for training purposes is incredibly valuable. This is not the end — there are absolutely more plans for growth in the center’s future.

All these years later, is your goal still to have the biggest and best training center?

Yes. I always say that we should shoot for the stars. We started by wanting to be the best in the world, and now that we are, we strive to maintain that status. We want to raise the standard. The ultimate goal has always been to provide the best training possible.

We have trained over 45,000 health care providers, and we currently hold over 400 courses per year. The fact that the center, with all of its equipment and cutting-edge technology, is being used makes me extremely proud. The work is very rewarding.

It was recently announced that you will be the new vice president of medical and surgical advancement at Stryker, a medical devices and manufacturing company. What led you to pursue this new role?

In life, you need to evolve. I’ve been a surgeon for over 35 years, so I have hit that point where I want to use my talents and skills in a different way to improve patient care. For example, I’m excited to help develop new technologies. I want to be, at the very least, a grain of salt in that process. Because Stryker medical equipment is used worldwide, I will be able to impact lives across the globe.

What do you want your legacy at UC San Diego to be?  

UC San Diego has had a vast impact on both my career and my life trajectory, and I would like to think that I have had an influence on UC San Diego as well. I helped build one of the best divisions of minimally invasive surgery in the world. This, along with my work at the Center for the Future of Surgery, greatly elevated the national visibility of surgery at UC San Diego. I want these things to be my legacy. UC San Diego gave me the opportunity to build and to dream. I will always cherish my time here and remain deeply grateful to the university that made it all so special.