Pediatric Surgery Information and Interviews

Pediatric surgery is the sub-specialty of general surgery that manages surgical disease in those patients from birth until the age of 21. Some patients with chronic disease are followed past their 21st birthday. Training in pediatric surgery involves the standard five-year general surgery residency followed by a two year pediatric surgery fellowship. Fellowship spots are incredibly competitive to obtain, with approximately only 36 programs in the United States and Canada. To remain competitive, candidates for the positions usually also have completely approximately two years of research along with their general surgery residency. After completion of the fellowship, these surgeons can then sit for addition qualifications in pediatric surgery through the American Board of Surgery if they are already certified by the Board in general surgery. A basic list of these fellowships can be found on the American Pediatric Surgical Association Website at http://www.eapsa.org/.

Pediatric surgeons operate on conditions on the head all the way down to the feet on a daily basis. Procedures can include non-cardiac thoracic work. General pediatric surgeons will even operate on Patent Ductous Arteriosis in some centers where pediatric cardiac surgeons don't operate on the condition. Depending on the trauma system in the area, pediatric surgeons may also be responsible for responding to pediatric trauma alerts. Since trauma remains the leading killer of children in the United States, it only makes sense to have those who have additional training in the surgical management of children available to treat this surgical disease. Pediatric surgeons can also be found involved with surgical oncology in children, prenatally diagnosed conditions that can be managed with intrauterine surgery, and operating on neonates.

Although some pediatric surgeons are found in private practice, the majority will be found practicing in academic settings at university hospitals.

Interview #1

Humberto Lugo-Vicente, MD, FACS, FAAP, Associate Professor Pediatric Surgery, University Pediatric Hospital and San Pablo Medical Center

Interview #2

Dr. David E. Wesson, Professor of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and Attending Pediatric Surgeon at Texas Children's Hospital

Interview #3

Moritz M. Ziegler, Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Surgeon-in-Chief at Boston Children's Hospital

Interview #4

R. Todd Maxson, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Baylor and Staff Pediatric Surgeon at Texas Children's Hospital

Interview #5

N. Scott Adzick, M.D., Surgeon-in-Chief, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, C. Everett Koop Professor of Pediatric Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Interview #6

Paul M. Colombani, Director and Robert Garrett Professor of Pediatric Surgery, Professor of Oncology and Pediatrics, Children's Surgeon-in-Charge at The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Interview #7

Dr. McCrudden, PGY 5 in a General Surgery residency at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia Center in NYC

Interview #8

Dr. Stallion, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery at Case Western Reserve University, Associate Director for Pediatric Burns & Trauma at MetroHealth Hospital, and attending surgeon at The Cleveland Clinic, Hillcrest Hospital and Fairview Hospital

Interview #9

Dr. James D. Geiger, Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at University of Michigan, Director of Pediatric Trauma and Associate Director for Surgical Services of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Vincent Medical Center, and attending surgeon at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital

Interview #10

Edward M. Barksdale, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and Director of the Nutrition Support Service, Surgical Director of the Fetal Diagnostic and Treatment Center, and Co-Director of the Intestinal Care Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Interview #11

Henri R. Ford, M.D., Benjamin R. Fisher Endowed Chair of Pediatric Surgery at University of Pittsburgh, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery and Director of the Benedum Trauma Program at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Interview #12

Keith E. Georgeson, M.D., Director of the Division of Pediatric Surgery and Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Surgeon-in-Chief at The Children's Hospital of Alabama, Attending surgeon at University of Alabama Hospital

Interview #13

Frederick C. Ryckman, M.D., Professor of Surgery at University of Cincinnati, Surgical Director of the Pediatric Liver Care Center and the Pediatric Liver Transplantation Program, Attending Surgeon at Children's Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati, OH)

Interview #14

David Tapper, M.D., Vice-Chairman of Surgery, Chief of Pediatric Surgey and of Surgery Education, and Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at University of Washington., Surgeon-in-Chief and Director of the Department of Surgery at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, attending physician at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center and Eastside Hospital

Interview #15

Jay L. Grosfeld, M.D., Lafayette F. Page Professor and Chairman of Surgery, and Director of the Section of Pediatric Surgery at Indiana University, Surgeon-in-Chief at Riley Hospital for Children (Indianapolis, IN)