WashU Medicine Department of Surgery

08/07/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Marissa Tenenbaum and Dr. Terence Myckatyn on being named among America’s Best Plastic Surgeons 2026 by Newsweek. This recognition reflects their dedication to advancing the field of plastic surgery through exceptional patient care, innovation and leadership. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor. 👏

08/07/2026

We were honored to welcome Dr. Adnan Alseidi from UCSF, as the featured speaker for the inaugural Strasberg Lecture.

Dr. Alseidi delivered a thought-provoking presentation, “The Health Care Professional Pathway to Expertise: The Interplay Between Assessment and Learning,” exploring how continuous learning and meaningful assessment help shape the development of surgical and health care professionals.

Thank you, Dr. Alseidi, for sharing your expertise and helping inspire the next generation of surgical leaders.

08/05/2026

08/04/2026

We're proud to be part of the team behind Barnes-Jewish Hospital's recognition as the #1 hospital in St. Louis and Missouri by U.S. News & World Report.

Every day, WashU Medicine surgeons work alongside outstanding multidisciplinary teams to provide advanced, compassionate care for patients across our region and beyond. Congratulations to our colleagues across Barnes-Jewish Hospital and BJC HealthCare on this well-deserved recognition.

#1 in St. Louis. #1 in Missouri.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, with care provided by WashU Medicine Physicians, is honored to once again be ranked as the #1 hospital in St. Louis and Missouri on U.S. News and World Report's 2026–2027 Best Hospitals list.

Barnes-Jewish ranked nationally in 10 specialties, including cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; rheumatology; gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; obstetrics and gynecology; orthopedics; pulmonology and lung surgery; and urology. Barnes-Jewish was also ranked #1 in both St. Louis and Missouri for cancer and orthopedic care and rated as high performing in 17 procedures and conditions.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital joins other BJC HealthCare hospitals in the St. Louis regional rankings, including Missouri Baptist Medical Center at #2, Christian Hospital at #6, and Memorial Hospital Belleville and Memorial Hospital Shiloh at #7.

Additionally, Barnes-Jewish was recognized as a “Best Regional Hospital for Community Access,” an honor given to fewer than 100 hospitals nationwide for their success in caring for patients in historically underserved communities.

Thank you to our clinical teams for their expertise, compassion, and dedication to excellence—we are incredibly proud of the exceptional care you provide!

See the complete list of BJC Health honors here: https://heyor.ca/92NALM

08/04/2026

The right team. The right place. The right doctor. Right here in St. Louis. Congratulations to our physicians named to St. Louis Magazine's Top Doctors issue — on shelves this week. Learn more about how our patients benefit from connected care at https://bit.ly/4wTXNJb w/BJC HealthCare

07/31/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Lauren Elson, Dr. Gregory Murphy, Vicky Peck, registered nurse, and the Division of Urology for an extraordinary achievement in patient safety and quality improvement.

After identifying a preventable patient safety risk, the team partnered with BJC Epic analysts to develop an innovative electronic medical record alert designed to protect patients with an artificial urinary sphincter from catheter-related injuries. Following its successful implementation across the BJC system, the tool was recently approved by the Epic Urology Specialty Steering Board for adoption as an Epic Foundation tool, making it available to health systems nationwide.

This accomplishment reflects the power of collaboration, innovation and systems-based improvement to advance patient safety. Through their dedication to identifying solutions that improve care, Drs. Elson and Murphy, Vicky Peck, and the entire Urology team are making a lasting impact on patients both locally and across the country.

07/24/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Amy Kells and the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for their continued leadership in patient safety and quality improvement.

Under Dr. Kells' direction, the division recently hosted its 4th Annual Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Forum, highlighting resident-led projects focused on advancing patient care. We also congratulate Dr. Lucas Rohrer, whose project was selected as this year's winning presentation, and recognize Drs. Anna Rose Johnson, Karim Saoud and Amelia Davidson for their outstanding contributions. Through mentorship, innovation and scholarship, Dr. Kells and the entire PRS team continue to foster a culture of continuous improvement that benefits patients, trainees and the future of surgical care.

07/23/2026

The 2026 general surgery faculty. Together, this team is advancing surgical innovation, education and patient care while training the next generation of surgeons and scientists. We are proud of the expertise, dedication and collaboration they bring to our mission every day.

07/14/2026

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ali Khiabani to the Section of Cardiac Surgery.

Dr. Khiabani specializes in congenital and acquired cardiac conditions, with expertise in arrhythmia surgery and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. He returns to WashU Medicine after serving on the faculty at Creighton University and previously completed his residency and fellowships at WashU Medicine.

We are excited to welcome him back and look forward to the impact he will have on our clinical, research, and educational missions.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4vuXMKG

07/13/2026

Congratulations to our Department of Surgery nurses recognized in St. Louis Magazine's 2026 Excellence in Nursing Awards! 👏

🏆 Mary Sullivan, acute care ECMO nurse, was recognized as the winner in the Cardiovascular category and was also awarded the prestigious Perfect Score by the judging panel.

🏆 Lisa Gabriele, staff nurse with West County Plastic Surgeons and the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, was recognized as the winner in the Medical-Surgical Nursing category.

We also congratulate Heidi Hunsel, nurse practitioner in the Section of Surgical Oncology, on being named a finalist in the Advanced Practice category.

We are proud to celebrate your expertise, compassion and commitment to exceptional patient care. Read more: https://bit.ly/3RjNIpU

📸 Portraits courtesy of ; photos by