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Professional Summary
Degree
- University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City, UT in Doctor of Medicine, 2002 - 2006
Residency
- Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA in General Surgery, 2006 - 2011
Chief Residency
- Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA in General Surgery, 2011 - 2012
Fellowships
- George Washington University Hospital Washington, DC in General Surgery, 2012 - 2013
Board Certifications
- AM BD SURGERY re-verification 12/31/2023
Professional Memberships
- Utah Medical Association, American Board of Surgery, American College of Surgeons, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons
Languages Spoken
- English
- Filipino
- Tagalog
Practice Focus
- I have advanced training in minimally invasive surgery, specializing in laparoscopy and robotic surgery. I perform a broad range of basic general surgeries, including hernia repair, gallbladder removal, etc. I specialize in the surgical treatment of esophagus, stomach, biliary, pancreas, small bowel, and abdominal dysfunction and tumors. I perform complicated surgical oncologic procedures including pancreatic and stomach resections. I have expertise in complex abdominal wall reconstruction and incisional hernias. I also specialize in rare disorders such as median arcuate ligament syndrome, etc. My ethos is to treat each patient like they are my family, to help guide decision making with my professional expertise toward a mutually satisfactory conclusion. I am confident in my training and abilities, but strive to be humble in my interactions and in the knowledge that the more I know, the more I realize is out there to learn. I am a passionate advocate for minimally invasive surgery, believing in the proven benefits of less pain, earlier return to work, lower infection rates, shorter hospital stay, and generally improved outcomes. I will strive for these approaches, using laparoscopy, robotics, and/or endoscopy whenever appropriate. In addition to my clinical practice, I currently fill a leadership role within Intermountain Healthcare, helping to create best practice guidelines, to achieve higher quality and lower costs in the care delivered to our patients, and many other pursuits within 11 different surgical specialties that create the Surgical Specialties Clinical Program. Some of my proudest efforts are reflected in our efforts at appropriate opioid reduction through patient derived usage data. Through these and other efforts, our surgeons have prescribed several hundred thousand less opioids just last year alone.
Bio
- I am passionate about education, teaching, and quality. I have received numerous teaching awards and the Alfred P. Gold Humanism in Medicine award. My research interests are currently focused on clinical outcomes and quality, how to do things better and safer. I have a strong basic-science research background, specifically around post-transcriptional modification and pancreatic cancer. I am a father of 4 incredible kids and am married to the world?s most patient woman. I love to ride my bikes (road and mountain), hike, fish, and live outdoors.