Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery

Today, Dr. Sarah Shubeck and Dr. Kyra Nicholson, two surgeons on breast cancer and how we might begin to correct the disparities that exist between black and white patients when it comes to breast cancer. They’ll get into the different kinds of breast cancer and treatments that exist, and why it’s so challenging to decrease one’s risk for the disease. You’ll also hear what inspired them to pursue careers in breast cancer surgery, and their own personal wisdom on patient care.

Dr. Sarah Shubeck is an Assistant Professor in the Department of General Surgery. She is a Breast Surgical Onocologist specializing in breast surgery, cancer, and benign disease treatment. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Shubeck is also a passionate researcher. She’s examined how to improve the value and quality of surgical care as well as exploring treatment effectiveness of patients with breast cancer. Her research has been published in many journals including Cancer, JAMA Surgery, and Annals of Surgical Oncology.

Dr. Kyra Nicholson is a general surgery resident at UChicago Medicine. She is currently conducting research on clinical outcomes of breast surgery. Dr. Nicholson attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Southern Illinois University for medical school prior to her residency.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our producer and editors include Alia Abiad, Caroline Montag, Nihar Raama, and Nitin Vidyasagar. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to Julian Owens. Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

Today, we’re talking all things RCT — that’s randomized control trials. The idea sounds complicated, but at their essence, RCTs are studies we do to make sure any new medical treatment actually works better than the existing treatments we have. With doctors Jessica Donington, Elizabeth Tung, and Tanvi Subramanian, we’ll get into everything from what different kinds of RCTs exist, what it looks like to make them more representative of our diverse populations, and how we protect patients in these trials.

Dr. Jessica Donington is a Professor of Surgery at UChicago Medicine and the Chief of the Section of Thoracic Surgery. She treats the full spectrum of lung, esophageal and mediastinal conditions including lung cancer. She is also an avid researcher and respected leader in her field. She is a past president of Women in Thoracic Surgery and the New York Society for Thoracic Surgery and serves on the editorial boards for the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.

Dr. Elizabeth Tung is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of General Internal Medicine at UChicago Medicine. Her research focuses on disparities in chronic disease management, with a special interest in race, place, and poverty. She has participated in community-based strategies to improve chronic disease management in East St. Louis, Chinatown New York, and West Providence, in addition to her work on the South Side of Chicago. 

Dr. Tanvi Subramanian is a general surgery resident who graduated from the Washington University School of Medicine. She is interested in thoracic or vascular surgery and is currently conducting vascular, basic science research on mice. 

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our engineer is Paul Braun. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to Jan Spicer — congrats on your retirement. Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

There’s a lot behind organ transplantation. Which organs can we transplant? When does someone need a transplant? How do we choose who gets one? And what are the ethical dilemmas surrounding transplantation? In this episode, we answer all these questions and more, including what patients can do to advocate for themselves if they do find themselves needing a transplant. We also explore UChicago Medicine’s unique role in the history of liver transplantation and debunk common misconceptions about the field, including the myth that doctors will change the quality of care if someone is listed as a organ donor. They don’t!

Dr. Michael Millis is a Professor of Surgery and the Vice Chair of Global Surgery at UChicago Medicine. He is an expert in adult and pediatric transplant surgery. Dr. Millis is also a pioneer of new techniques for liver operation. His innovations have helped the University of Chicago perform more liver transplants than any other program in the region over the past 15 years. 

Dr. John Fung is a Professor of Surgery and the Chief of the Section of Transplant Surgery at UChicago Medicine. He is a renowned leader in the field of organ transplantation, including liver, kidney, pancreas, and intestinal transplantation. Dr. Fung has spearheaded the use of new minimally invasive surgical transplant techniques. Dr. Fung was one of the physicians leaders of the transplant care team that made history in December 2018, after performing two triple-organ transplants within 27 hours.

Dr. Milda Saunders is an Associate Professor of Medicine at UChicago Medicine and the Interim Associate Dean for Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Saunders’ broad research interests include health disparities and quality of care, particularly related to chronic kidney disease. Her work has examined how a person’s residence and site of care are associated with health outcomes. 

Dr. Kumaran Shanmugarajah is a fourth year surgery resident at UChicago Medicine and the Scientific Director of the Organ Perfusion Lab. He has worked internationally exploring the clinical application of basic science innovation. His interests include transplant immunology, organ engineering, and healthcare delivery models.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our engineer is Paul Braun. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to Reem Hamoda.

Today, Dr. Priya Prakash, Dr. Vanessa Buie, and Dr. Anthony Douglas. Our conversation with these 3 acute care surgeons began with an exploration of acute care surgery — an evolving specialty consisting primarily of trauma, critical care, and emergency surgery — which turned toward to topics and places that surprised each of us.

You’ll hear not only about acute care surgery but also how doctors and healthcare institutions can earn the trust of the communities they serve. Alongside physician interactions with patients, we explore implicit bias, patient advocacy, as well as the value and necessity of having representative leadership and mentors who look like you in the work of patient care.

Dr. Priya Prakash is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at UChicago Medicine specializing in trauma, critical care and emergency surgery. She has received several awards for her work and also serves as an ad hoc reviewer for the European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery and the Journal of American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Vanessa Buie is the general surgery Chief Resident at UChicago Medicine. She received her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In a previous life, Dr. Buie's work ranged from diabetes education to biomedical engineering and even serving as a cheerleader for the Minnesota Vikings, 

Dr. Anthony Douglas is a first year general surgery resident at UChicago Medicine. He is a graduate of Wabash College and the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Douglas is excited to be a part of a generation of doctors changing the face of medicine.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to Julian Owens and Jan Spicer. Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

Today, Dr. Mustafa Hussain & Dr. Harry Wong, 2 bariatric surgeons, discuss the overlaps between food deserts, culture, and bariatric surgery. Food deserts are locations where residents have few to zero convenient options for accessing healthy, affordable food, frequently stemming from a larger history of economic neglect. On the other hand, bariatric surgeries are those which help patients lose weight. Many of our patients on the South Side of Chicago live in food deserts, which can lead to an increased risk for obesity.

In this episode, they challenge misconceptions about foods from communities of color which paint them as unhealthy, discuss how healthy foods are often understood through a white, European lens, what happens in the months spent with patients prior to offering them bariatric surgery, and how our evolutionary biology is mismatched with our modern society’s food system.

Dr. Mustafa Hussain is an Associate Professor of Surgery and the Director for the Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity at UChicago Medicine. He has advanced training in bariatric surgery, expertise in all standard primary weight loss surgeries, and works closely with the surgical oncology team to expand the use of minimally invasive approaches in the surgical treatment of certain cancers. Dr. Hussain has also pioneered the use of robotic surgery to treat abdominal wall, diaphragmatic and paraesophageal hernias.

Dr. Harry Wong is a 4th year general surgery resident at UChicago Medicine and a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He has written on topics ranging from simulation-based curriculums for surgical procedures to maintaining safety standards during surgeries.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records.

Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

What even is the prostate? This is a question many patients ask at the clinic. It’s part of the reproductive system for individuals assigned male at birth, located right below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Surprisingly, we don’t treat all prostate cancers, at least not immediately. In this conversation, you’ll hear why that is as well as how equal access health systems are improving prostate cancer health equity for Black men.

Dr. Modi is a fellowship-trained urologic oncologist. He is an expert in bladder, prostate and kidney cancer, as well as complex open and robotic surgery. He’s also a committed researcher, focusing on health care policy and health care delivery.

Dr. Kristof is a 4th year urology resident at UChicago Medicine. She is an Oklahoma native and attended the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Dr. Kristof is also a tutor for kids in Chicago’s Hyde Park community.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to Rayna Boyd. Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

Anal cancer screening isn’t a topic one often discusses with their doctor, but that’s changing. Dr. Kinga Skowron Olortegui, Dr. Lindsey Zhang, two colorectal surgeons, and Dr. Ross Zeitlin, a radiation oncologist, discuss who should be screened for anal cancer, the most common type seen clinically, and what physicians can do to treat it. They also get into the discomfort that can emerge for physicians and patients when discussing the topic — and how to move past it.

Dr. Kinga Skowron Olortegui is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at UChicago Medicine specializing in colon and rectal surgery. She’s a specialist in the use of minimally-invasive surgery techniques including laparoscopy and robotic surgery to minimize pain for patients after an operation. Dr. Olortegui is an expert in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease as well as colon, rectal and anal cancer.

Dr. Lindsey Zhang is a fourth year, general surgery resident at UChicago Medicine, and a clinical scholar at the American College of Surgeons. She has published on a variety of topics including postoperative health of older adults, bullying in medical training, and the experience of being an Asian American physician during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Ross Zeitlin is a radiation oncologist for Cook Radiation Oncology. Dr. Zeitlin’s academic interests include gynecologic malignancies and oncologic health disparities in sexual and gender minorities. He is also an advocate for sexual and gender minority inclusion within the field of radiation oncology.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to Christian Olortegui and happy holidays to all of our listeners. Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

When does a limb have to be amputated? This is the question Dr. Ross Milner and Dr. Kha Tran — 2 vascular surgeons who operate to restore blood flow in the body — consider. When a patient’s arteries have narrowed and improper blood flow emerges, that patient may be diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease. In this episode, you’ll hear about different ways to treat this disease, what can be done before a limb amputation has to occur, and why it's so important to understand the lived circumstances of a patient who has peripheral arterial disease.

Dr. Ross Milner is a Professor of Surgery and the Director of the Center for Aortic Diseases at UChicago Medicine. He is  an internationally recognized expert in vascular surgery, a dedicated educator and mentor, and a prolific author, having written more than 100 abstracts and manuscripts, as well as more than 20 reviews and chapters in leading textbooks on endovascular therapies. 

Dr. Kha Tran is a fourth year surgical resident at UChicago Surgery and a fellow of the Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. In his former life, he was an Olympic-level athlete.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to the Department of Surgery’s Sophia Chung and Jan Spicer.

Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu

How do we begin to paint a more complex picture of health, one that considers the economy at large, one’s housing situation, environmental justice, and more? In this month’s episode, Jen Vigneswaran sits with transplant surgeon Dr. Michael Millis and trauma surgeon Dr. Brian Williams to discuss these questions and how they apply to the patient population served by UChicago Medicine. They explore how implicit bias shows up in the clinic, the significance of UChicago Medicine’s trauma center for the South Side community, and how caregivers can incorporate a more holistic approach to improving patient health.

Dr. Michael Millis is a Professor of Surgery and the Vice Chair of Global Surgery at UChicago Medicine. He is an expert in adult and pediatric transplant surgery. Dr. Millis is also a pioneer of new techniques for liver operation. His innovations have helped the University of Chicago perform more liver transplants than any other program in the region over the past 15 years.

Dr. Brian Williams is a Professor of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. He’s also a founding program director of the adult surgical critical care fellowship. He is currently writing his first book, Race, Violence, & Medicine: A Memoir.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our engineer is Paul Braun. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to the Department of Surgery’s Julian Owens and Jan Spicer.

Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.

In the inaugural episode of Deep Cuts, two trauma surgeons, Dr. Brian Williams and Dr. Ken Wilson, discuss gun violence on the South Side of Chicago.

From the founding of UChicago Medicine’s trauma center to how Dr. Wilson’s time in Baltimore, Flint, Atlanta, and Iraq has shaped his role as trauma medical director, these two doctors examine what it means to be two black, trauma surgeons on the South Side of Chicago and how they understand the late, civil rights activist and representative John Lewis’s phrase, “good trouble,” especially when it comes to their work and mission. 

Dr. Ken Wilson is a Professor of Surgery at UChicago Medicine with over a decade of experience as a trauma, acute care, and critical care surgeon. He is also an army colonel and has published widely on topics including military trauma and trauma surgical outcomes.

Dr. Brian Williams is a Professor of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. He’s also a founding program director of the adult surgical critical care fellowship. He is currently writing his first book, Race, Violence, & Medicine: A Memoir.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Jen Vigneswaran. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our engineer is Paul Braun. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. 

A special thanks this week to the Department of Surgery’s Jessica Lopez and Shane Semmens. Find more about our work at surgery.uchicago.edu.