Department of Surgery

General surgery research resident Kristin Goodsell, MD, has been awarded funding through the NIH’s Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) (R38) grant under Dr. Kristina Adams-Waldorf of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The StARR program provides funding for mentored opportunities for residents pursuing research within the fields of immunology, infectious disease, immune t…

Being jolted awake by the shrill alert of an incoming text on my iPhone is a routine part of being on call for the transplant service. I purposely set my alert tone to be as obnoxious and loud as possible, so it is with near certainty that I don’t just sleep through the incoming text.… The post The Challenges and Rewards of Being a Transplant Surgeon appeared first on Department of Surgery .

A typical working day in cardiac transplant surgery often begins before the day officially starts. Late the night before, the pager sounds—sharp and unmistakable. A donor offer has come in. Even after years in transplant surgery, that moment commands full attention. It signals that somewhere a family is experiencing profound loss, and somewhere else a… The post A Day in The Life Of a Cardiac Tran…

UW Medicine is proud to celebrate a major milestone in academic and clinical leadership: Dr. Christopher Burke, Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, has been appointed to the Jeffrey and Korynne Wright Family Endowed Chair in Aortic Surgery. Endowed chairs represent one of the highest honors in medicine—recognizing excellence while advancing discovery, education, and patient… …

The Spring issue of Surgery Synopsis 2026 is published in April, the “National Donate Life Month.” We honor people who have given the gift of life to others and the healthcare professionals who make that gift a reality. It is a team that makes the miracle of transplantation possible. From donors to the agencies and… The post Surgery Synopsis | April 2026 appeared first on Department of Surgery .

Seattle Children’s performs a complex transplant surgery involving two sisters and the gift of life. SEATTLE, WA. — Seattle Children’s is honored to announce that it recently performed its 250th living donor kidney transplant surgery. Like the first transplant surgery performed at Children’s more than 30 years ago, the milestone surgery involved two sisters. In September 2025, a team of surgeons,…

Department of Surgery – American College of Surgeons Washington/Oregon Chapters Annual Meeting We had an incredible meeting of the Washington/Oregon Chapters of the American College of Surgeons this past weekend at Campbell’s Resort in Chelan. Dr. Judy Chen led a great meeting from the presentations to the social functions and the invited speakers. Congratulations to Dr. Chen for her leadership o…

VITALS – UW Medicine – July 30, 2025 We are excited to announce two new initiatives to help support our people, expand patient access, improve outcomes, increase efficiencies, produce cost savings, accelerate research and position UW Medicine for the future. As an integrated learning health system, one of the things that sets us apart is our innovative mindset. That spirit is a cornerstone of our…

Dr. Jeffrey Friedrich is as a recipient of the 2025 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This award recognizes program directors who have fostered innovation and improvement in their programs and served as exemplary role models for residents and fellows. It is amongst the highest honors in medical education, conferred on only 10 pr…

Dear Surgery Synopsis Readers, Approximately six months ago, Dr. Jeffrey Friedrich announced his intention to step down as UW Department of Surgery Plastic Surgery Residency Program Director. He accomplished an amazing 12-year tenure as Program Director, taking us from a “coordinated” residency of three residents/ year (total nine) to currently the largest integrated Plastic Surgery… The post Rus…

This annual “education issue” of Surgery Synopsis is where we celebrate and marvel at our residents, both coming and going. It’s the end of a residency year with graduation and these amazing surgeons are headed off to jobs and fellowships around the country. And at the other end of the training curve, we welcome the… The post Surgery Synopsis | Summer 2024 appeared first on Department of Surgery .

Dr. Elina Quiroga, Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery, was named Society for Vascular Surgery’s (SVS) Distinguished Fellow. This prestigious recognition is bestowed upon SVS members who have distinguished themselves by making substantial contributions in two of three categories: research, service, or education. The announcement was made during the SVS 2024 Vascular Annual Meeting, held June……

Welcome to our 2024 spring edition of Surgery Synopsis. In our winter 2023 issue of Surgery Synopsis, as the world was emerging from COVID remote work restrictions, we focused on “What Community Means to You,” asking a cross-section of our department members to describe community. The answers varied, but the theme was clear: community meant… The post Surgery Synopsis | Spring 2024 appeared first …

On April 18, 2024, UW Medicine’s Extracorporeal Life Support (ECMO) transport team performed their first off-site cannulation for a patient with severe respiratory failure who was too unstable to transport from Valley Medical Center. Once the patient was on ECMO, they were successfully transported to Harborview Medicine Center. About UW Medicine’s ECMO Program Located in… The post UW Medicine ECM…

This issue of Surgery Synopsis will focus on the research mission of the Department of Surgery. Research is a critical pillar of our department’s threefold mission (Clinical CareEducation-Research) and boldly leans into the future. The innovative treatments and concepts that surgeons across the world will be using tomorrow are being developed right now in labs,… The post Surgery Synopsis | Winter…

UW Medicine-Right as Rain | August 28, 2023 The thought of getting lung cancer is scary, especially when it’s an unexpected diagnosis. We know that those with a history of smoking or smoking exposure have the most significant risk for the disease. People with jobs that expose them to substances like asbestos, coal smoke, wood… The post How To Catch Lung Cancer Early and Why It’s Important appeare…

Featuring Drs. Mark Sturdevant, Associate Professor & Interim Chief, and Jorge D. Reyes, Professor, Division of Transplant Surgery The post Did You Know You Can Save a Life With Part of Your Liver? appeared first on Department of Surgery .

This issue of Surgery Synopsis is our education issue, in which we celebrate our residents and fellows who have completed their training and we welcome our new trainees. We’re always happy to see our graduates begin their careers, knowing they have been well-trained. But we’re sad as well. We worked side by side for years… The post Surgery Synopsis | Summer 2023 appeared first on Department of Su…