University of Arizona Department of Surgery

09/09/2025

Join us tomorrow for Grand Rounds with guest speaker, Linda Harris, MD. Dr. Harris is a Professor of Surgery at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, and a nationally and internationally recognized leader in vascular surgery.

She has served as Program Director of UB’s residency and fellowship programs for over 20 years, led the Division of Vascular Surgery for more than two decades, and currently serves as President-Elect of the Society for Vascular Surgery. She also co-founded and led the International Society for Women Vascular Surgeons and organized the Women’s Vascular Health Summit. Dr. Harris is also a Distinguished Fellow of the SVS, an ACS Master Surgeon Educator, and co-editor of Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy.

Her work has shaped surgical education, vascular research, and global collaboration, and we are thrilled to host her for this week’s Grand Rounds.
🔗 https://bit.ly/4pgcJ1p

09/04/2025

Department of Surgery is delighted to welcome Barbra Miller, MD, to the Division of Surgical Oncology as Clinical Professor of Surgery.

Dr. Miller is a nationally and internationally recognized endocrine surgeon whose clinical practice spans thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and other neuroendocrine tumors. She will also lead the newly established Endocrine Tumor Program and serve as Medical Director of Surgical Operations at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson.

With her expertise in surgical innovation, patient-centered care, and program development, Dr. Miller will be a tremendous asset to our southern Arizona community. We are honored to welcome her and look forward to the many contributions she will bring to the department, our trainees, and our patients.
🔗 Full announcement: https://bit.ly/4nfBVDo

09/02/2025

Join us for our General Surgery Residency Program Virtual Open House! Register here: https://bit.ly/4p4U48G (Zoom link will follow upon registration)

This is your chance to:
✅ Hear firsthand from our residents about their training and day-to-day experiences
✅ Meet our dedicated faculty who are passionate about mentorship and education
✅ Learn what makes our program unique—broad surgical exposure across seven divisions and five specialized sections, combined with a supportive culture that prioritizes innovation, collaboration, and wellness.

Don’t just train. Thrive. See why our program is the ideal place to launch your surgical career

08/20/2025

We’re proud to announce that general surgery resident Dr. Ivy Stejskal has been awarded the first-ever research grant from the Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation (TOMF) for her groundbreaking study on the use of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) during sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer surgery.

Supported by faculty mentors Drs. Nova Foster, Jad Abdelsattar, and Jennifer Erdrich, along with her osteopathic training, Dr. Stejskal’s work is helping launch TOMF’s new research funding for DO investigators and opening doors for future support.

With 15 patients already enrolled, the study is moving forward with the potential to transform breast cancer care. The TOMF grant will fund data collection, statistical support, publications, and opportunities for Dr. Stejskal to present findings at national meetings. In fact, she has already been invited to speak at the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons Annual Clinical Assembly next month in Salt Lake City on the role of OMM in the operating room and its impact.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Stejskal and the breast surgical oncology team!

🔗 Learn more about the study: https://bit.ly/47Fq8tn

08/11/2025

The Department of Surgery is pleased to welcome Faisal Jehan, MD, to the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. Dr. Jehan joins us from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, where he completed a Clinical Fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology.

Dr. Jehan is actively engaged in surgical education and professional service, serving on national committees for the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. His clinical expertise includes advanced surgical care for complex hepatopancreatobiliary diseases, gastrointestinal cancers, and sarcomas, with a focus on minimally invasive and robotic approaches.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Jehan back to Tucson, where his exceptional skill, dedication to patient-centered care, and commitment to advancing surgical oncology will continue our mission of excellence in clinical care, education, and research.

08/08/2025

Please join us in welcoming Valeria Fernandez, MD, as the newest Fellow in our Advanced GI MIS Fellowship Program! We're excited to have Dr. Fernandez continue in and join our MIS team. We look forward to the contributions she will make during her fellowship.

08/04/2025

Join us for the 2025 AzACS Annual Meeting this weekend: August 9-10!
Connect with surgical colleagues from across Arizona for two days of insightful discussions on surgical care, practice updates, and professional networking. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, collaborate, and grow with your community.

🎓 Residents & Medical Students: $50 with Promo code "STUDENT"
👨‍⚕️ Regular Members: $250
🔗 Register online today! https://azacs.joynportal.com/member-portal/ /11001

07/08/2025

Dr. Christina Colosimo, Clinical Assistant Professor and Jessica Edwards, specialists in pediatric trauma care, recently appeared on Tucson Now to highlight often-overlooked drowning risks, including how swimsuit color can impact a child’s visibility in water. As summer activities ramp up and families spend more time near pools and lakes, their message serves as an important reminder to stay vigilant—especially with young children, who are at the highest risk for drowning.

Their timely discussion comes as July remains the most dangerous month for drownings in the U.S., with alarming statistics underscoring the need for increased awareness. Our thoughts are also with the families and communities affected by the devastating floods in Central Texas over this past weekend. This tragedy is a sobering reminder of how quickly water-related incidents can escalate and why water safety education is more critical than ever.

There’s never a bad time, especially in Arizona, to talk about drowning prevention and overall water safety.

07/07/2025

We’d like to share that General Surgery resident, Beverley Trutter, MD, was selected and invited to deliver an oral presentation at the 50th Pan American Trauma Society (PTS) Congress Conference last month in Cuenca, Ecuador!

The PTS Congress is a globally respected forum that brings together trauma care experts from across the Americas and beyond. Now celebrating its 50th year, the conference fosters international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in trauma surgery and critical care.

Opportunities like this are invaluable for residents, offering the chance to present their work on an international stage, engage with global leaders in the field, and gain insight into trauma care systems across different healthcare environments.

Please join us in recognizing Dr. Trutter on this outstanding opportunity and representation of at this milestone event!

07/04/2025

Happy 4th of July!💥 Clinical Professor and trauma surgeon, Marc Matthews, MD, was featured on to share expert tips on firework safety and how to treat burn injuries. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and stays safe!

Watch the full segment here:

With the 4th of July Friday, there will be plenty of fireworks popping and lighting up the sky.

07/02/2025

Hello July - the start of a new academic year and new chiefs! 🥼✨ Introducing the incoming Chief Class of 2026! These outstanding leaders will help guide our residency program through another year of clinical excellence, surgical training, and mentorship. Here's to a great year ahead!

06/30/2025

We are pleased to welcome Ramesh K. Batra, MD, MA, FRCS, FACS, as the new Division Chief of Abdominal Transplant Surgery, effective July 1.

Dr. Batra is an accomplished transplant surgeon, educator, and clinical innovator with a strong background in liver and kidney transplantation, living donor transplantation, and medical technology innovation. He joins us from Yale University School of Medicine, where he served as Director of both the Liver Transplant Program and Living Donor Liver Transplantation at Yale New Haven Hospital.

With more than a decade of experience across institutions including the Mayo Clinic, Loyola University Medical Center, and the NHS (UK), Dr. Batra brings deep expertise in complex transplantation and health equity. His current research focuses on applying machine learning to organ allocation and improving access to transplant care in underserved communities.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Batra to the Department of Surgery,” said Geoffrey Gurtner, MD, Chair of the Department. “His experience and passion for advancing transplant care will be transformative for COM-T and Banner Health. I would also like to extend my gratitude to both BUMC-T, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson’s Dean Abecassis, and Dr. Richard Orlandi for making this recruitment possible.”

Please join us in giving Dr. Batra a warm, Tucson welcome!