Gut Check

In this episode of Gut Check, hosts discuss how and if they've established a niche in their practice. Whether it's bedside manner, robotic, IBD or location-based, this episode offers the views of Alex, Avery, Jon, Erin, Biddy and Sam on what a niche can mean in colorectal surgery.

Join us for an insightful episode of Gut Check as hosts sit down with ASCRS President Dr. Matt Mutch. Dr. Mutch reflects on his year as president, offers his advice for those aspiring to Society leadership and gives us a sneak peek into the upcoming annual meeting.

Join all six Gut Check hosts as they talk with Dr. Peter Marcello, Associate Professor of Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine and Chair of the Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery at the Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Massachusetts. Listen as hosts and their guest get deep into the world of surgical procedures that have changed the landscape of modern medicine. From laparoscopic surgeries to robotic-assisted procedures, we explore a diverse array of techniques that fall under the umbrella of minimally invasive surgery.

Join hosts Jon, Biddy, Sam, and Avery as they discuss the topic of surgical site infections. Listen as they compare protocols from their respective institutions, while also discussing their own related comments and concerns. This is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Join hosts Jon and Biddy as they welcome special guest Dr. William Cirocco. Dr. Cirocco sheds light on pivotal moments in the 125-year history of ASCRS, offering insights into his journey into medicine, his notable research, and his contribution to the Historical Perspectives segments in the DC&R Journal. The discussion explores lessons from the past that can shape the future trajectory of ASCRS and our mission.

Join hosts Jon and Biddy as they unveil their side hustles & entrepreneurial ventures beyond the operating room.

In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of ASCRS, our Then & Now series covers the struggles and triumphs of our specialty throughout history and to our present day as we look toward the future of colorectal surgery. In this episode, we're discussing colorectal genetics, clinical acumen, the mental health of patients and more with Dr. James Church.

In this episode of Gut Check, the hosts dive into the sensitive and often challenging topic of receiving a health diagnosis for both themselves and friends and family members. Do you reveal you're also a physician? Listen as our hosts share personal stories, expert insights, and practical strategies for navigating the uncertain road ahead.

In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of ASCRS, our Then & Now series covers the struggles and triumphs of our specialty throughout history and to our present day as we look toward the future of colorectal surgery. In this episode, we're talking about rectal cancer with Dr. Julio Garcia-Aguilar.

In this episode, hosts Jon, Sam, Erin, Biddy and Alex provide valuable insights for navigating these complex cases and optimizing patient outcomes.

In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of ASCRS, our Then & Now series covers the struggles and triumphs of our specialty throughout history and to our present day as we look toward the future of colorectal surgery. In this episode, we're talking about the Research Foundation with Dr. Eliza Wick, current president of the Research Foundation.

Do you have a great colorectal research idea but don't quite know where to start or how to get funded? Join Avery, Biddy, Jon and Sam as they share their own research journeys, tips and insights that will jumpstart your own research journey. 

As stewards of anorectal primary care, colorectal surgeons must be well-versed in treating patients with anorectal sexually transmitted infections (STIs).  Join Avery, Biddy, Jon and Sam as they share stories, cases and insights on how they manage STI-related anorectal pathology.  CO-HOSTS Avery Walker, MD, FACS, FASCRS El Paso, TX Avery Walker is dually board-certified in General Surgery and Colorectal Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois in Chicago, his General Surgery residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, and his Fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at The Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. A former active-duty officer in the United States Army, Dr. Walker served 13 years as a general and colorectal surgeon with his most recent duty station in El Paso, TX at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. While there he was the Chief of Colon and Rectal surgery as well as the Assistant Program Director for the general surgery residency program. He currently practices colon and rectal surgery at The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, TX. Dr. Avery Walker is married and has two daughters aged 13 and 9.     Biddy Das, MD, FACS Houston, TX (Twitter @BiddyDas) Dr. Bidhan “Biddy” Das has board certifications for both colon and rectal surgery, and general surgery. His passion for medical education and medical process improvement has resulted in book chapters and publications, and national and regional presentations on those subjects. Highlighting his medical expertise on fecal incontinence, he has been featured on patient education videos and national and international television and radio as a featured expert on these colorectal conditions. Dr Das also has a particular interest in surgeons redefining their careers -- he serves as both a software consultant and private equity consultant in Boston, New York City, and Houston.     Jonathan Abelson, MD, MS Arlington, MA (Twitter @jabelsonmd) Dr. Abelson was born and raised in Scarsdale, New York in the suburbs of New York City.  He has 2 older brothers and both of his parents are dentists.  Dr. Abelson went to college at University Pennsylvania, took 2 years off between college and medical school to work in healthcare consulting.  He then went to medical school at University of Virginia, returned to New York for general surgery residency at Weill Cornell on the upper east side of Manhattan.  Dr. Abelson then did colorectal fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis and am now at Lahey clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts for my first job after training.  He is 2 years into practice and has a wife and two sons. His wife works in wellness consulting and they have a dog named Foster who we adopted in St. Louis.     Sam Eisenstein, MD La Jolla, CA  (Twitter @DrE_UCSD) Sam Eisenstein is an Assistant Professor of Colon and rectal surgery and director of Inflammatory Bowel Disease surgery at UC San Diego Health.  He has worked there for the past 8 years after graduating both residency and fellowship at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.  Sam is best known as the founder and organizer of the IBD-NSQIP collaborative, a large multi institutional data collaborative examining outcomes after IBD surgery, but he also is involved in several clinical trials for perianal Crohn’s and has extensive experience with stem cell injections for anal fistulae. He is also on the scientific advisory board for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation for his work on the next big IBD data collaborative, IBD-SIRQC (Surgical Innovation, Research and Quality Collaborative).  Sam has a Wife and 3 kids (6,8, and 3) and spends most of his free time running around after them these days, but also enjoys traveling and getting out into nature with his family.

Is HRA a good approach to anal cancer screening? Join Alex, Avery, Biddy, Erin, Jon and Sam as they share their own case studies and perspectives regarding anal cancer screening and the use of HRA.   OUR CO-HOSTS Alex Jenny Ky, MD, FACS, FASCRS New York, NY Dr. Ky has been in practice for 22 years and is one of the busiest surgeons in her hospital.  She is a former president of the New York Colon and Rectal Society and currently serves as president-elect of the Chinese American Medical Society.  Married for 29 years, she is the proud mom of 3 children and in her spare time she enjoys playing golf and squash. Avery Walker, MD, FACS, FASCRS El Paso, TX Avery Walker is dually board-certified in General Surgery and Colorectal Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois in Chicago, his General Surgery residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, and his Fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at The Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. A former active-duty officer in the United States Army, Dr. Walker served 13 years as a general and colorectal surgeon with his most recent duty station in El Paso, TX at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. While there he was the Chief of Colon and Rectal surgery as well as the Assistant Program Director for the general surgery residency program. He currently practices colon and rectal surgery at The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, TX. Dr. Avery Walker is married and has two daughters aged 13 and 9.   Biddy Das, MD, FACS Houston, TX (Twitter @BiddyDas) Dr. Bidhan “Biddy” Das has board certifications for both colon and rectal surgery, and general surgery. His passion for medical education and medical process improvement has resulted in book chapters and publications, and national and regional presentations on those subjects. Highlighting his medical expertise on fecal incontinence, he has been featured on patient education videos and national and international television and radio as a featured expert on these colorectal conditions. Dr Das also has a particular interest in surgeons redefining their careers -- he serves as both a software consultant and private equity consultant in Boston, New York City, and Houston.   Erin King-Mullins, MD, FACS, FASCRS Atlanta, GA (Twitter @eking719) Dr. Erin King-Mullins is a double board-certified general and colorectal surgeon. She graduated summa cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana. After obtaining her medical degree at Emory University in Atlanta, she completed her internship and residency in general surgery at the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida. Her fellowship training in colorectal surgery at Georgia Colon & Rectal Surgical Associates concluded with her joining the practice and serving as Faculty/Research Director for the fellowship program until her transition into private practice with Colorectal Wellness Center. She has a husband with whom she shares an amazing, blended family of 4 daughters. The kids keep them pretty busy, but their favorite times are spent on warm sunny beaches.   Jonathan Abelson, MD, MS Arlington, MA (Twitter @jabelsonmd) Dr. Abelson was born and raised in Scarsdale, New York in the suburbs of New York City.  He has 2 older brothers and both of his parents are dentists.  Dr. Abelson went to college at University Pennsylvania, took 2 years off between college and medical school to work in healthcare consulting.  He then went to medical school at University of Virginia, returned to New York for general surgery residency at Weill Cornell on the upper east side of Manhattan.  Dr. Abelson then did colorectal fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis and am now at Lahey clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts for my first job after training.  He is 2 years into practice and has a wife and two sons. His wife works in wellness consulting and they have a dog named Foster who we adopted in St. Louis.   Sam Eisenstein, MD La Jolla, CA  (Twitter @DrE_UCSD) Sam Eisenstein is an Assistant Professor of Colon and rectal surgery and director of Inflammatory Bowel Disease surgery at UC San Diego Health.  He has worked there for the past 8 years after graduating both residency and fellowship at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.  Sam is best known as the founder and organizer of the IBD-NSQIP collaborative, a large multi institutional data collaborative examining outcomes after IBD surgery, but he also is involved in several clinical trials for perianal Crohn’s and has extensive experience with stem cell injections for anal fistulae. He is also on the scientific advisory board for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation for his work on the next big IBD data collaborative, IBD-SIRQC (Surgical Innovation, Research and Quality Collaborative).  Sam has a Wife and 3 kids (6,8, and 3) and spends most of his free time running around after them these days, but also enjoys traveling and getting out into nature with his family.

As a colorectal surgeon, does you well-being take a "back seat" a little too often?  Join Alex, Avery, Biddy, Jon and Sam as they share their own stories, struggles and suggestions for achieving a healthy lifestyle outside of surgery.   OUR CO-HOSTS Alex Jenny Ky, MD, FACS, FASCRS New York, NY Dr. Ky has been in practice for 22 years and is one of the busiest surgeons in her hospital.  She is a former president of the New York Colon and Rectal Society and currently serves as president-elect of the Chinese American Medical Society.  Married for 29 years, she is the proud mom of 3 children and in her spare time she enjoys playing golf and squash. Avery Walker, MD, FACS, FASCRS El Paso, TX Avery Walker is dually board-certified in General Surgery and Colorectal Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois in Chicago, his General Surgery residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, and his Fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at The Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. A former active-duty officer in the United States Army, Dr. Walker served 13 years as a general and colorectal surgeon with his most recent duty station in El Paso, TX at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. While there he was the Chief of Colon and Rectal surgery as well as the Assistant Program Director for the general surgery residency program. He currently practices colon and rectal surgery at The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, TX. Dr. Avery Walker is married and has two daughters aged 13 and 9.   Biddy Das, MD, FACS Houston, TX (Twitter @BiddyDas) Dr. Bidhan “Biddy” Das has board certifications for both colon and rectal surgery, and general surgery. His passion for medical education and medical process improvement has resulted in book chapters and publications, and national and regional presentations on those subjects. Highlighting his medical expertise on fecal incontinence, he has been featured on patient education videos and national and international television and radio as a featured expert on these colorectal conditions. Dr Das also has a particular interest in surgeons redefining their careers -- he serves as both a software consultant and private equity consultant in Boston, New York City, and Houston.   Jonathan Abelson, MD, MS Arlington, MA (Twitter @jabelsonmd) Dr. Abelson was born and raised in Scarsdale, New York in the suburbs of New York City.  He has 2 older brothers and both of his parents are dentists.  Dr. Abelson went to college at University Pennsylvania, took 2 years off between college and medical school to work in healthcare consulting.  He then went to medical school at University of Virginia, returned to New York for general surgery residency at Weill Cornell on the upper east side of Manhattan.  Dr. Abelson then did colorectal fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis and am now at Lahey clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts for my first job after training.  He is 2 years into practice and has a wife and two sons. His wife works in wellness consulting and they have a dog named Foster who we adopted in St. Louis.   Sam Eisenstein, MD La Jolla, CA  (Twitter @DrE_UCSD) Sam Eisenstein is an Assistant Professor of Colon and rectal surgery and director of Inflammatory Bowel Disease surgery at UC San Diego Health.  He has worked there for the past 8 years after graduating both residency and fellowship at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.  Sam is best known as the founder and organizer of the IBD-NSQIP collaborative, a large multi institutional data collaborative examining outcomes after IBD surgery, but he also is involved in several clinical trials for perianal Crohn’s and has extensive experience with stem cell injections for anal fistulae. He is also on the scientific advisory board for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation for his work on the next big IBD data collaborative, IBD-SIRQC (Surgical Innovation, Research and Quality Collaborative).  Sam has a Wife and 3 kids (6,8, and 3) and spends most of his free time running around after them these days, but also enjoys traveling and getting out into nature with his family.