Dr. Kin Assumes Wellness Director Role
December 5, 2023
Dr. Cindy Kin, an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery, will assume the role of Department Wellness Director.
“Many of you know Cindy and her passion for improving the health of her patients and colleagues through our understanding of training and resilience (Whoop) study, her interest in nutrition, and pre-habilitation of our patients using technology to drive engagement,” wrote Department Chair Dr. Mary Hawn in her announcement to the faculty.
Kin says she plans to begin her tenure with a Listening Tour during which she hopes to learn how to make Stanford Surgery an “engine of wellbeing.”
“Beyond burnout prevention, let's aim higher to be a place that empowers surgeons to be more emotionally resilient, more physically healthy, more socially connected, and be our best selves at work and at home - not in spite of working, but because we work at Stanford Surgery,” said Kin.
Kin takes over from Dr. Brooke Gurland, a professor in the Division of General Surgery, who has served in the role for the past four years. Highlights of her term included virtual yoga during the COVID pandemic, the labeled scrubcaps program, and the culture of gratitude initiative.
“We are all indebted to her leadership through the pandemic and post-pandemic work/life environment,” said Hawn.
Related News
- – Online Home Prehabilitation and Outcomes After Colorectal Surgery
Online Home Prehabilitation and Outcomes After Colorectal Surgery
This quality improvement study evaluates the association of an online home-based patient prehabilitation program with colorectal surgery outcomes.
- – Whoop in Burnout, Professional
Whoop in Burnout, Professional - Clinical Trials Registry - ICH GCP
Reliably achieving peak performance requires balancing the strain of the prior day with sufficient recovery to be ready for the next day. Surgery has a long sta...
Media Contact
Bio
About Stanford Surgery
The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:
• pioneering cutting-edge research,
• developing the next generation of leaders, and
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion.
To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu
The Latest
- – Surgery
Spotlight: Dr. Carlie Arbaugh
Meet Carlie Arbaugh MD, MS, Chef. Dr. Arbaugh completed a 4-week clinical rotation at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and the University of Zimbabwe in Harare in October-November 2025.
- – Surgery
ROC Announces Research Seed Grant Winners
Drs. Stephanie Chao and Alma-Martina Cepika are the 2026 Research Seed Grant winners.
- – Surgery
Stanford Breast Program Hosts Educational Symposium on Cutting-Edge Treatments
Stanford Breast Surgery is now offering in-person events designed to connect, educate, and inspire the local community and beyond.
- – My Site 5
Whitecoats-realtalk featuring Dr. Jenny Pan
Atharva and Akshara Anand speak with Dr. Jenny Pan, clinical instructor at Stanford School of Medicine and an abdominal transplant surgeon specializing in kidney transplantation. Working at the front lines of transplant medicine, Dr. Pan guides patients through end-stage kidney disease, living donation, and the complex realities of life before and after transplant. In this conversation, she breaks down how kidneys keep the body alive, the major diseases that lead to kidney failure, and how rejection is prevented and treated.
- – Surgery
Stanford Surgery Wrapped 2025
A few of our favorite photos, podcasts, articles, and videos of 2025 from Stanford University's Department of Surgery!
- – Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
The Heart Pays the Price: How Cancer Drugs Disrupt Blood Vessel Sensing
A recent study published in Science Translational Medicine by researchers at the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute set out to determine whether damage to the endothelium, the thin layer of cells lining all blood vessels, plays a central role in TKI-associated heart disease.
- – Abdominal Transplantation
Dr. Carlos O. Esquivel Receives IPTA Lifetime Achievement Award
Carlos O. Esquivel, MD, PhD, has been named the 2025 recipient of the International Pediatric Transplant Association (IPTA) Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor recognizes an IPTA member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of pediatric transplantation over the course of their career. Only one award is presented every two years at the association’s Biennial Congress.
- – Surgery
Dr. Kin Assumes Leadership of Colorectal Section
After a national search, Stanford Surgery's next Chief of Colorectal Surgery will be Dr. Cindy Kin. Kin is taking over from Dr. Andy Shelton, who has led the section for the last seven years.
- – Surgery
Future Physician Feature: Jesse Tai
Jesse Tai is a Stanford Medical Student who was inspired by Dr. Joe Forrester to pursue a career as a surgeon-scientist.
- – Abdominal Transplantation
Stanford Performs First Robotic Kidney Transplant in Northern California
Stanford Medicine has completed its first robotic kidney transplant, marking a milestone for both the institution and the region. The procedure, performed by Dr. Thomas Pham and Dr. Stephan Busque, represents the first time this approach has been used for kidney transplantation in Northern California.