Progress Report Division & Section Reports
General Surgery
Spencer Amory, MD
General Surgery
The strength of the Division of General Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center lies in its emphasis on specialization.
Our surgeons focus on specific procedures, and this orientation has significantly enhanced our ability to achieve successful outcomes.
Our interdisciplinary approach has also had an impact on the teaching aspect of the division because our residents are involved with a wide range of medical specialties.
In the past, the training was more unidimensional; the focus was on surgery.
Today, our approach results in not only better clinical care, but a richer experience for our residents and students. This demonstrates in a meaningful way that treating a disease is a multidisciplinary art.
The surgical endoscopy suite is used for training surgical residents in the techniques of upper and lower endoscopies as well as highly specialized endoscopic procedures.
In our division, we have two colorectal specialist, Richard L. Whelan, MD, Section Chief, focuses on clinical and basic science in colon cancer research.
In collaboration with Dr. Milsom of Weill Cornell, a joint fellowship has been created.
The skills of our specialist in laparoscopic surgery, Marc Bessler, MD, enable us to be the only institution in New York that regularly performs laparoscopic colectomies. Long term, Dr. Bessler's interest is in performing bariatric surgery using laparoscopy.
He currently heads the Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery, a multidisciplinary group of medical and surgical specialists in nutrition and obesity.
The emphasis on the many advantages of specialization does not mean that teamwork has been forsaken. The division is currently enjoying the best of individual and cooperative efforts. Dr. Bessler is serving as the laparoscopic resource for the entire team, helping his associates to develop skills in a range of laparoscopic techniques. Dr. Ratner has shared his experience in intraoperative ultrasound and cryosurgery for pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgery with others in the group as well. Cooperation and teamwork also create fertile ground for valuable research.
We have recently consolidated our clinical offices on the 8th floor of the Herbert Irving Pavilion, which will better serve our relationships, communications and efficiency.
Division of General Surgery
www.columbiageneralsurgery.org
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