SAGES Stories

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 33, our intrepid hosts talk to surgeon, educator, international man of mystery, possible MI6 operative, and Third Culture Kid Adrian Park, MD, FRCS (C) FACS. As a man from nowhere and everywhere, Dr. Park talks about his peripatetic upbringing, bringing advanced laparoscopy into the developing world, and how SAGES affected his career path during the early years of MIS. Dr. Park has one of the more interesting stories of any SAGES Member. This episode is well worth your time! Third Culture Kid SAGES Go Global Initiative SAGES Guidelines Fellow Job Description

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In this continuation of President Episodes™, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Jenny Shao chat with the current president of the EAES, Nicole Bouvy, MD, PhD. Our intrepid podcasters cover lots of topics with Dr. Bouvy including the difference in training between the US and Europe, how surgery impacts the environment and why we need to pay attention to sustainability efforts, changes in roles of women in surgical leadership positions, and sheep. Yes, sheep. European Association for Endoscopic Surgery SAGES Sustainability in Surgical Practice

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Jenny Shao chat with Brent D. Matthews, MD, the 2025–2026 President of SAGES. We trace how he first got involved with the society and how SAGES has quietly but steadily helped shape his surgical career from fellowship(s) to his presidency!

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Dr. Jenny Shao talk to the one and only, the man, the myth, the legend: Manabu Yamamoto, MD. The founder of SAGES Far East and co-writer of “We Are The World, We Are The SAGES” joins us and talks about, well, just about everything. We cover early language acquisition, SAGES in the 80s, being one of the first Japanese SAGES members, how song bridged a gap and helped launch a career, and much, much more. This is an episode you will want to bookmark and save. Dr. Yamamoto is a singular personality within SAGES and has one of the best stories we’ve heard to date. Editor’s Note: We apologize for the audio quality on this one. We were recording live at the 2025 SAGES Meeting and the microphone was not the best. The quality improves about three minutes in but because of the directional nature, when two people talked at once or when there was laughter (which was often), the sound faded out a bit.

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Dr. Jenny Shao talk to the one and only doyenne of SAGES – Executive Director Sallie Matthews. Sallie shares stories about how she got into the Executive Directoring business, how SAGES has transformed over the years, and what it means to be a successful woman in the field of surgery. This is not our typical podcast but it’s interesting, heartfelt, and inspiring. LISTEN! Links from the pod: SAGES 2025 Meeting A Conversation With Sallie Matthews, Director of SAGES for 25 Years

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Dr. Jenny Shao talk to one of the most fascinating surgeons around: James “Butch” Rosser, MD. Butch is a surgeon, a patient, a top-notch educator, the originator of the Top Gun contest, the catalyst behind the SAGES Mini Med School, and so much more. We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as we enjoyed recording it. Links from the pod: SAGES 2025 Meeting Mini Med School

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! This. Is. Huge. The biggest episode we’ve tried to do. The biggest episode we’ve ever done! Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR, FOUR PAST PRESIDENTS on one podcast. (ah ah ah) In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and new co-host Dr. Jenny Shao talk to Past SAGES Presidents Drs. Hoarcio Asbun, Liane Feldman, John Mellinger, and Pat Sylla all about SAGES, their respective paths to the presidency and the impact of the Society on surgery. Links from the pod: Episode 1 – Horacio Asbun, MD Episode 2 – Liane Feldman, MD Episode 5 – John Mellinger, MD Episode 9 – Patricia Sylla, MD

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 26, we experience something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Let’s see if you can figure out to who/what each of the above applies! In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Archana Ramaswamy talk to Dr. Jenny Shao about podcasting in general, finding one’s path in surgery, and much more plus a HUGE announcement. There’s also a special gift for Dr. Ramaswamy at the very end of the episode… Links from the pod: SAGES 2025 Annual Meeting SAGES Stories Episode 7

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 25, we talk to researcher and dad extraordinaire, Chris DuCoin, MD and get his thoughts on surgeon scientists, SAGES Research efforts, and our intrepid hosts show us the worst possible way to get a grant accepted. Links from the pod: SAGES Research Grants SAGES Research Data Network 2025 Abstract Submissions

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 23, we talk to our resident expert on hippies, shag carpeting, beaded entryways, pattern-recognition, grants, research, and all things surgical: Carla Pugh, MD, PhD. Links from the pod: SAGES 2024 Annual Meeting Recordings SAGES SINC Investment Fund SAGES Ingenuity

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 24, we talk to two past presidents, Aurora Pryor, MD and Steve Schwaitzberg, MD, and the now-current president Christopher Schlachta, MD all about the new SAGES for-profit company SAGES Ingenuity and the SAGES Investment Network Collaboration (SINC). Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Drs. Pryor, Schwaitzberg, and Schlachta about the SAGES Investment Network and SAGES Ingenuity. Links from the pod: SAGES 2024 Annual Meeting SAGES SINC Investment Fund SAGES Ingenuity

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 22, we talk to the current President-Elect of SAGES, hard name to spell correctly, hockey fan and Canadian (but we repeat ourselves), and one of the cool kids: Christopher Schlachta, MD! Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Schlachta about innovation in surgery, getting involved in laparoscopy, the SAGES Investment Network and SAGES Ingenuity. There’s also hockey, family, dogs, more hockey, and the occasional “aboot” thrown in for good measure! Links from the pod: SAGES 2024 Annual Meeting SAGES SINC Investment Fund SAGES Ingenuity

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 21, we talk to the tiniest overachiever ever, Dana Telem, MD, current Vice President of SAGES, Professor of Surgery at the University of Michigan, and a great friend to many of us. Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Telem about Fall weather (we might be posting this slightly out of order), evolutionary biology as a gateway to surgery, developing skin by being from Philadelphia, and why lipomas are important (they are). Oh, and we talk about creating an academic surgical career for oneself and the importance of finding your people. Links from the pod: SAGES 2024 Annual Meeting

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 20, we talk to Steve Schwaitzberg, MD, Past President of SAGES and a man who has led a most interesting life. It is safe to say that SAGES would not look like what it does today without Dr. Schwaitzberg’s influence. Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Schwaitzberg about socks, bingo, innovation, bad strategies for applying to med school, Club Med(?), plus current investment and innovation opportunities offered by SAGES Links from the pod: SAGES 2012 Presidential Address SINC Opportunity Fund (Investment) SAGES Ingenuity – Opportunities for Innovation

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 19, we talk to KMarie King, MD. MS, MBA, FACS Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. King about learning to lead, the Glass Cliff, The Wallflowers (for some reason), belonging, advocacy, and implementing technology. Links from the pod: SAGES 2022 Gerald Marks Lecture

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 18, we talk to former child actor, former child, former SAGES Advocacy and Health Policy committee chair, Neil Simon survivor, Lego expert, and triple laptop screen monitor user Ross F. Goldberg, MD Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Goldberg about his early years as a stage thespian, later years as a surgeon, Cleveland (of course), and much more.  We promise you, this pod will simply fly by! Links from the pod: SAGES 2024 Abstract Submission SAGES 2021 Medical-Legal Session on Malpractice

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 17, we talk to SAGES Past (waaaaaaaaaaay past) President, Chair, Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona, laparoscopy trailblazer, dog lover, and all around good human Nathaniel Soper, MD Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Soper about the wild-west early days of MIS, surgeons with frickin laser beams, and why SAGES is the best society ever. Links from the pod: SAGES 2024 Abstract Submission

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 16, we talk to an amazing surgeon and human, Associate Professor of Surgery, Chief of Minimally Invasive, Robotic, and Bariatric Surgery, and Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program at Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Surgery and Grady Memorial Hospital: Dr. Shaneeta Johnson! Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Johnson about Cleveland (why?), global surgery volunteerism, how to implement DEI correctly, offsetting surgery’s carbon footprint, and more. Links from the pod: SAGES Speaker Log SAGES Committee Sign Up

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 14, we talk to surgeon extraordinaire, Chair of Surgery at Stanford, Director of the ABS, and amazing person: Dr. Mary Hawn! Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Hawn about all things Board related, issues facing surgeons today, the challenges of being a two doctor household, and who in surgery has Vizslas. Stanford Department of Surgery American Board of Surgery SAGES 2023 Annual Meeting

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast! In episode 14, we talk to surgical educator extraordinaire, SAGES past president from 2002-2003, and one of the best human beings on the planet: Dr. Bruce Schirmer! Your hosts Shirin Towfigh, MD and Kevin El Hayek, MD talk to Dr. Schirmer about HPB and the early partnerships between SAGES and the AHPBA, the early days of laparoscopy and endoscopy as he experienced them, and one of the most unfortunate/infamous SAGES Stories of all time. SAGES 2023 Annual Meeting