In this episode, host Rachel Baker interviews Dr. James Dunn, chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Stanford University. Dr. Dunn is the inventor of a device that uses distraction enterogenesis to lengthen the small intestine. Join us as we delve into Dr. Dunn's innovative work on short bowel syndrome and his inspiring journey to bring new devices from bench to bedside.

In this episode, host Rachel Baker speaks with Dr. Brooke Gurland, a Clinical Professor specializing in colorectal surgery at Stanford University. Together, they explore the world of rectal prolapse and the importance of pelvic floor health.

🩺 What You’ll Learn:

1:15 - Dr. Gurland's Journey: Her transition from general surgery to colorectal surgery

2:45 - Understanding Rectal Prolapse: Subtypes and prevalence among women

4:30 - The Role of the Pelvic Floor: Anatomy explained

6:00 - Treatment Options: Non-surgical interventions and surgical techniques

8:15 - Importance of Patient Education: Creating animated videos for better understanding

10:30 - Research and Leadership: Dr. Gurland’s role in the Pelvic Floor Disorders Consortium

12:45 - Mentorship and Mindfulness: Insights from her mentor and personal philosophy

Join us for an informative discussion that sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of health. Dr. Gurland’s expertise and innovative approach to patient education are making waves in the colorectal community!

In this episode, host Rachel Baker sits down with Dr. Kim Stone, a clinical associate professor in the surgical oncology breast section at Stanford University. Together, they discuss Dr. Stone’s journey into breast surgery, the importance of early mammograms, and an exciting new project utilizing virtual reality for patient rehabilitation.

👉 In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Dr. Stone chose breast surgery as her specialty and the significance of patient relationships in healthcare.
• The guidelines for mammograms and when women should begin screening.
• How VR is being integrated into rehab for breast surgery patients.

In this special 'Women in Medicine Month' episode of Scrubcast, host Rachel Baker sits down with Dr. Mary Hawn, the Chair of Stanford University's Department of Surgery. Dr. Hawn discusses her multifaceted role overseeing research, education, and clinical care, while still practicing minimally invasive foregut surgery. She shares her journey from basic science research to becoming an acclaimed health services researcher, her thoughts on surgical training reforms, and the complexities of achieving work-life balance in medicine.

The episode also highlights her insights into supporting future surgeon-scientists and celebrates her accomplishments, including the dedication of the Wangensteen Scientific Forum to her at the upcoming American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress.

Join host Rachel Baker on Scrubcast as she chats with Dr. Stephanie Chao, an associate professor in Stanford’s Division of Pediatric Surgery. In this episode, Dr. Chao shares her circuitous journey to becoming a pediatric surgeon (through transplant and HPB). She also delves into a few of her innovations such as the use of virtual reality in managing children's anxiety during procedures and the development of 3D optical scanning for chest wall evaluations. Dr. Chao also discusses her work on the PLEDGE campaign to reduce gun violence affecting children and her recent experience as a Presidential Leadership Scholar.

In this episode of Scrubcast, host Rachel Baker interviews Dr. Morad Hameed, who recently joined Stanford as the chief of acute care surgery. They discuss Dr. Hameed's transition to Stanford, differences between Canadian and U.S. healthcare systems, and what drew Dr. Hameed to trauma surgery. Dr. Hameed shares an exciting trauma case and explains the nuances of trauma, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care. The conversation also touches on Dr. Hameed's experiences in leadership roles, global surgery projects, and advice from mentors.

In this episode, Dr. Amanda Kirane, an assistant professor and specialist in complex general surgical oncology, shares her unconventional journey into melanoma research. Discover the latest advancements in immunotherapy for skin cancer, including Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) therapy, and the science behind creating patient avatars with organoid models. Dr. Kirane also shares her admiration for influential surgeons in her life and offers insightful advice.

This episode of Scrubcast features Dr. Benjamin Levi, our honored guest at the 2024 Emile F. Holman Lecture. He shares insights on his motivation for merging plastic surgery with critical care, emphasizing the holistic care of burn patients from acute treatment to long-term reconstructive surgery.

Levi’s primary research focus is on heterotopic ossification. He explains how injuries can lead to bone formation in unintended locations and the implications for patient care. He highlights how each of the places he’s lived, worked, and studied contributed uniquely to his research and clinical practice.

In this episode of Scrubcast, host Rachel Baker interviews Dr. HyeRan Choo, a clinical associate professor in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Stanford University. Dr. Choo discusses her journey into dentistry and orthodontics, which began in Korea.

Dr. Choo is doing innovative work treating Pierre Robin Sequence—a rare congenital condition—using a non-surgical method. This novel approach, developed to alleviate the condition's characteristic symptoms without surgery, scoops the tongue out of the airway, allowing immediate relief for affected babies. So far, Dr. Choo has treated 25 babies with the Orthodontic Airway Plate.

The episode concludes with Dr. Choo sharing valuable advice and acknowledging her mentor, Dr. Park.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! In this episode of Scrubcast, host Rachel Baker interviews Dr. Cindy Kin, an associate professor in Stanford University's Department of Surgery. Dr. Kin delves into her choice to specialize in colorectal surgery and shares insights on the increasing trend of colon cancer in younger patients. She discusses the importance of early detection and elaborates on her research to improve patient outcomes post abdominal surgery through 'prehabilitation.'

Dr. Kin also talks about her role as the Director of Wellness at Stanford and her efforts to improve the well-being and work-life balance of fellow physicians. Only a few months in, she has already kicked off several new projects. She explains “Tell Us About It;” a new program developed in conjunction with our Quality Improvement team.

With the advent of GLP1s like Ozempic, aren’t Bariatric Surgeons out of a job?

We take a deep dive into obesity treatments with Dr. Dan Azagury, an Associate Professor in the Division of General Surgery and Chief of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Stanford University's Department of Surgery. We discuss topics such as how GLP1s were discovered and the benefits and risks of GLP-1 agonists. We also touch on the importance of holistic treatment for obesity and how medication and surgery are just two of the mechanisms for weight loss in their arsenal.

To close out the show, Dr. Azagury shares his admiration for Dr. Claude LeCoultre, who was Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Geneva from 1991 to 2004, and—of course—the best advice he’s received in 10 words or less.

You can learn more about Stanford Medical Weight Loss program here.

In this episode, we interview Dr. Nazish Sayed, an assistant professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery and the Cardiovascular Institute at Stanford University. Dr. Sayed has a unique role as a research faculty in the Department of Surgery and his expertise in vascular disease. We talk about the beneficial effects of statins on vascular function and how statins can prevent cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Sayed et al published a paper in Nature Cardiovascular Research in May 2023 on statins at the molecular level, and we discuss the challenges faced in getting the paper published (four years!). The episode concludes with a discussion of Dr. Joseph Wu, Dr. Joseph Woo, and Dr. Sayed's future research plans.