The Future of Surgery
SERVING MINNESOTANS FOR OVER A CENTURY
IMPACT REPORT 2022
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL'S EXPERIMENTAL SURGICAL SERVICES CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF ADVANCING HEALTH
Housed within the Department of Surgery, ESS is the only public pre-clinical research center in the country, and is at the forefront of medical research, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the field of surgery by testing and perfecting medical devices and surgical techniques before they go to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for commercial approval.
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY'S LIVER TRANSPLANT PROGRAM CELEBRATES SURGICAL MILESTONES
The bottleneck in the field of organ transplantation is organ availability and Xenotransplantation holds a bright future for the field.
NEW TREATMENTS FOR HEART DISEASE
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is an international hub for cardiac care innovation that presented the development of heart valves, stents, and a battery-powered pacemaker. With a passion for fighting the leading cause of death, surgical faculty use the latest treatments, such as minimally invasive heart surgery with robot-assisted techniques for treating patients.
THE PROMISE OF NEW MEDICINES
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is an international hub for cardiac care innovation that presented the development of heart valves, stents, and a battery-powered pacemaker. With a passion for fighting the leading cause of death, surgical faculty use the latest treatments, such as minimally invasive heart surgery with robot-assisted techniques for treating patients.
A BREAKTHROUGH ON THE HORIZON
In 2025, the Division of Transplantation will aim to become the first team in the world to conduct successful pig-to-human transplant trials in three major areas: kidney, heart, and pancreatic islet cells.
5/5 POST-LIVER TRANSPLANT SURVIVAL RATING (2022)
The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) determined the Liver Transplant Program of the Department of Surgery & University of Minnesota Medical Center to have one of the most successful outcomes on survival after transplantation in the nation by SRTR criteria - 5/5 bars. The University of Minnesota is the only program in Region 7 to achieve this status.
#116 SUCCESSFUL LIVER TRANSPLANTS (2021)
Surgical faculty with their clinical teams at M Health Fairview set a record for our academic health system in liver transplantations- during an unprecedented pandemic year.
13,000+ ORGAN TRANSPLANTS PERFORMED TO DATE
The Division of Transplantation is an academic leader in organ transplantation and is one of the world's oldest and most successful transplant centers.
970+ HEART TRANSPLANTS PERFORMED TO DATE
PIONEERING RESEARCH
SURGERY JUMPS TO #13 IN NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FUNDING 2022
The significant accomplishments across health informatics, translational, clinical, and educational exploration have resulted in a significant milestone, moving from #28 to #13 in the National Institute of Health NIH Blue Ridge Ranking.
RESEARCHERS PERFORM FIRST SUCCESSFUL TRANSPLANT OF FUNCTIONAL CRYOPRESERVED ANIMAL KIDNEY
In a groundbreaking new study, the Department of Surgery's Dr. Erik Finger & Joseph Sushil Rao, along with their research team, perform the first successful transplant of a functional cryopreserved rat kidney.
BRACING BIG DATA
Our big data infrastructure bridges precision medicine, biomedical AI, and Implementation Science to improve healthcare delivery, reduce variation, cost of care, and ultimately saving lives.
HAVING THE 'HEART' TO LEARN
Having a "Heart to Learn" is the call of the Visible Heart Laboratories. Established in 1997, the Lab is Medtronic's longest-standing academic collaboration and a valuable resource in the medical device industry.
REVEALING SURGICAL IMPACTS
In partnership with the University, surgical leadership helped launch the Research Evaluating Vagal Excitation and Anatomical Links (REVEAL) project, a $21 million National Institutes of Health-funded project, collaborating with more than 40 researchers worldwide, including 30 at the U of M.
142+ UNIQUE PUBLICATIONS IN 2022
$30M GENERATED - GRANT PRODUCTIVITY
INNOVATIVE EDUCATION
DR. MELISSA BRUNSVOLD AWARDED 2023 SHUBIN-WEIL MASTER CLINICIAN/TEACHER EXCELLENCE IN BEDSIDE TEACHING HONOR
The Shubin-Weil Master Clinician/Teacher: Excellence in Bedside Teaching Award recognizes an SCCM member who is a role model in both the teaching and ethical practice of critical care. The awardee must also lead by example and leadership, substantially furthering the expert and appropriate use of life-support interventions.
2022 U OF M POSTDOC AWARD: DR. JOSEPH SUSHIL RAO RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD IMPACTFUL RESEARCH
The Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the recognition of Joseph Sushil Rao, MBBS of the Transplantation Tolerance Lab within the Schulze Diabetes Institute, for being named a 2022 U of M Postdoc Award recipient for his outstanding contributions toward impactful research.
TARGETED INVESTMENTS IN SURGICAL EDUCATION
- Culture & Community
- Tailored Track Options to Fit your Career
- Faculty Mentorship & Teaching Style Approaches
- Robust Program Training & the Patient Care Experience
- Research Opportunities & Vast Operative Experiences
[ Photo: 2023 Graduating General Surgery Residents ]
6 FELLOWSHIPS
#5 COLORECTAL SURGERY FELLOWS
#6 CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY FELLOWS
#3 VASCULAR SURGERY FELLOWS
#3 TRANSPLANT SURGERY FELLOWS
#5 SURGICAL CRITICAL CARE FELLOWS
WORLD-CLASS TRAINING
The University of Minnesota is one of only ten states that supports a specialized residency in rural surgery.
50+ OPERATIONS WITH SURGICAL FELLOWS
With the increased number of accepted organ donations, the Department can train surgical fellows to perform liver transplants by participating in roughly 50 operations yearly in high volumes for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) for training requirements.
ROBUST PATHWAYS
Our mandate to inform the future of surgery demands a commitment to innovation and dedication to training the next generation of surgeon scientists. From hands-on research to in-depth graduate studies, we offer tailored track options to fit the career needs of tomorrow's leaders.
3 RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
#56 GENERAL SURGERY RESIDENTS
#3 VASCULAR SURGERY RESIDENTS
#13 PLASTIC SURGERY RESIDENTS
THE GOLD FOUNDATION HONORS CHIEF SURGERY RESIDENTS FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Chief Surgery Residents, Drs. Alexa Robbins and Steven Qi were each selected to receive a 2023 Gold Humanism Award in recognition of their exceptional teaching skills and commitment to the compassionate treatment of patients and families, students and colleagues.
SURGERY SNAPSHOT → BY THE NUMBERS
11
DIVISIONS & CLINICAL DIVISIONS
21
FEMALE FACULTY MEMBERS
8+
RESEARCH DIVISIONS, CENTERS & LABORATORIES
114+
ACADEMIC & PHYSICIAN FACULTY
68
MALE FACULTY MEMBERS
SURGERY SNAPSHOT → RESEARCH FUNDING
TOTAL FY21
(July 1, 2020- June 30, 2021)
NIH Awards
-
TOTAL #: 13
-
TOTAL AMOUNT: $5,353,694
-
UNIQUE PIs #: 8
TOTAL FY21
(Other)
External Sponsored Awards
-
TOTAL #: 53
-
TOTAL AMOUNT: $7,210,016
-
UNIQUE PIs #: 16
PERCENTAGE OF PAID, FULL-TIME FACULTY IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO HAD A FEDERAL GRANT IN FY21
10% (8/80)
THE FEDERAL YEAR 2021 BLUE RIDGE RANK
