Colon & Rectal Surgery
Wolfgang B. Gaertner, MD, MSc, Professor & Chief, Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery
The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery in the Department of Surgery of the University of Minnesota School of Medicine is a unique academic program that traces its origins to 1916.
The Division is led by Wolfgang B. Gaertner, MD, MSc, Professor of Surgery and holder of the Stanley M. Goldberg, MD Chair in Colon and Rectal Surgery. The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery combines the strengths of a major research university and Medical School, the Veterans Administration Medical Center and the clinical practices of the University of Minnesota Physicians and Colon and Rectal Surgery Associates. We treat the full range of colorectal disease including colon cancer, rectal cancer, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. We specialize in minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) surgery and have particular expertise in treating patients with complicated or advanced cancers and inflammatory bowel disease who require multidisciplinary or multi-surgeon care.
Our Mission
- Provide the compassionate, state of the art care for individuals with colorectal diseases or disorders
- Train residents and future leaders of colorectal surgery
- Improve outcomes through research, technology and education
- Support the missions of the Academic Health Center, the Medical School and the Department of Surgery
Faculty
Professor & Division Chief
Wolfgang B. Gaertner, MD, MSc
Adjunct Faculty
History
Walter A. Fansler, M.D. established the Section of Proctology at the University of Minnesota in 1916, the first such program in the United States. In 1950, the "modern era" of the University of Minnesota training program in colon and rectal surgery began when William C. Bernstein, M.D., a student of Fansler, worked with Owen H. Wangensteen, M.D., the first Chief of the Department of Surgery, to establish a formal proctology residency at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine.
From its inception, Dr. Bernstein created a training program based not only at the University Hospital but also in his own private surgical practice, the Veterans Hospital and the Ancker County Hospital in St. Paul. He recognized the value of serving different populations and wanted to combine the academic and research strengths of the University with a community-based surgical practice. This "town-gown" collaboration remains a hallmark of the University of Minnesota Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Training Program. In 1958, following the retirement of Fansler, Wangensteen promoted Bernstein to the rank of Clinical Professor of Surgery and Director of the Division of Proctology within the Department of Surgery. In 1960, the American Board of Proctology changed its name to the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, thus reflecting the evolution in the scope of practice of the specialty.
In 1972, John S. Najarian, M.D., Chief of the Department of Surgery appointed Stanley M. Goldberg, M.D., to be the Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery. Over the next 20 years, Goldberg expanded and strengthened the Division following the Bernstein tradition of staffing the University of Minnesota Training Program in Colon and Rectal Surgery with a community-based clinical faculty. Under Goldberg's leadership, the Division faculty expanded and the became internationally recognized for its excellent training program, its postgraduate courses, and its surgical innovations.
In 1992, David A. Rothenberger, M.D. succeeded Goldberg as the Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery. In 2004, Robert D. Madoff, M.D. became the the Stanley M. Goldberg, M.D. Chair in Colon and Rectal surgery and was appointed Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery in 2005.
Since its inception, the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Minnesota has trained 213 total CRS fellow graduates, many of whom have become leaders in colon and rectal surgery; 8 of our alumni have served as President of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery.
William C. Bernstein, MD, Familial Cancer Registry
The William C. Bernstein, MD Familial Cancer Registry enrolls individuals with cancer in order to identify those families at greater risk for familial or hereditary cancers.
Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship
The University of Minnesota has over a 50-year tradition of training surgeons in the specialty of colon and rectal surgery. In the early 1950s, the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery began to offer apprenticeships in the specialty, and since 1956, formal residencies have been awarded. Currently, a one-year postgraduate residency training program in the field of colon and rectal surgery is offered. The program meets the requirements of the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery.
How to Apply
Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Program Year 2023-2024
The Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Program utilizes the Electronic Residency Application Service - ERAS®️, this service transmits residency applications, letters of recommendation, Dean’s Letters/MSPE, transcripts and other supporting credentials from applicants and medical schools to residency programs using the Internet via www.aamc.org. The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery requests a completed online application, a personal statement, curriculum vitae, copy of medical diploma, ECFMG certification, USMLE/ABSITE scores, and three (3) letters of recommendation.
Application Deadline Information
The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery's Interview Committee will accept and review online applications starting July 20, 2022 through August 15, 2022. Please note that applications submitted after the August 15, 2022 deadline or applications that were incomplete by the August 15, 2022 deadline will not be considered.
We will offer three virtual interviews dates for the 2023-2024 program year:
August 19, 2022
September 16, 2022
September 23, 2022
Conferences
Academic conferences in the Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery are held every Friday morning for approximately two-four hours at the corporate office.
The Department of Pathology at Abbott Northwestern Hospital hosts a bi-weekly pathology conference open exclusively to colon and rectal surgery residents.
Alumni
2020-2039
2021-2022:
Calista Harbaugh, MD, MS
Taryn Hassinger, MD, MS
Tanya Kuper, MD
Robert Tessler, MD, MPH
Lai Xue, MD
2020-2021:
Paolo Goffredo, MD
Audrey Kulaylat, MD
Michael Laffin, MD, PhD
Adam Sang, MD
Shonan Sho, MD
2019-2020:
Julia Berian, MD, MS
Joy Chen, MD, MS
Aaron Dawes, MD, PhD
Isabelle Le Leannec, MD
Luke Martin, MD
2000-2019
2019
Benjamin Crawshaw
Jennifer Kaplan
Molly Meyers
Emily Midura
Jeffrey Van Eps
2018
Thomas Curran
Jeffrey Douaiher
Gifty Kwakye
Vlad Simianu
Robert Wu
2017
Pamela Burgess
Debbie Li
Lillias Maguire
Benjamin Martin
Zachary Torgersen
2016
Jasneet Bhullar
Christopher Chow
Seth Felder
Ray King
Janet Lee
2015
Andrew Chae
Kenneth Loh
Dara Christante
Irena Gribovskaja-Rupp
Patrick Solan
2014
Danielle Pastor
Formosa Chen
Srinivas Ivatury
Erin Lange
Marie Thomas
2013
Wolfgang Gaertner
Salvador Guevara
Hiroko Kunitake
Robert Lewis
Shafik Sidani
2012
Daniel Eyvazzadeh
Rebecca Cannom
Mark Sun
Sarah Vogler
Urik Wallin
2011
David Cho
Ann Hanly
Patrick Tawadros
Ian Paquette
Brian Swenson
2010
Sarah Grahn
Jennifer Irani
Muneera Kapadia
Vitaliy Poylin
Daniel Shibru
2009
Christian Corwin
Sean Glasgow
George Kazanjian
Mary Kwaan
Ben Tsai
2008
Joshua Bleier
Alice Lee
Husein Moloo
Johan Nordenstam
Elizabeth Raskin
2007
David Willis
Michael McNally
Dimitrios Christoforidis
Edward Kim
David Etzioni
2006
Liliana Bordeianou
John Bruun
Matthew Dixon
Gonzalo Hagerman
Nalini Raju
2005
James Duncan
Joel Goldberg
Justin Maykel
Philip Pearson
Scott Steele
2004
Robert Akbari
Laura Goetz
Jeffrey Morken
Rocco Ricciardi
Aileen Seah
2003
Karim Alavi
Sharon Dykes
Ronald Gagliano
Arden Morris
Harry Papaconstantinou
2002
Gregory Fitzharris
Charles Heise
Floriano Marchetti
Michael McNevin
Amy Thorsen
2001
Kelli Bullard
Charles Friel
Najjia Mahmoud
Sara Mayo
2000
Isaac Felemovicius
Beth Jaklic
Jeffrey Sternberg
Madhulika Varna
1980-1999
1999
Nasser Al Sanea
Nigel Hall
Anders Mellgren
Lorenzo Sampson
1998
Jennifer McNeil
Andrew Shelton
Barry Sullivan
Kuan Wong
1997
Timothy Counihan
Donald Kim
P. Terry Phang
Charles Tsang
1996
Jon Hain
James Klas
Raoul Mayer
John Sun
1995
Susan Congilosi
Bard Cosman
Peter Edelstein
Jaime Mayoral
1994
Douglas Berglund
Douglas Johnson
Chong Lee
James Williams, II
1993
W. Donald Buie
Julio Garcia-Aguilar
George Lisehora
Othon Wiltz
1992
John Heine
Paul Savoca
Michael Spencer
Alfonso Velasco
1991
Ronald Bleday
Brett Gemlo
Juan Nogueras
J. Graham Williams
1990
Cathel Macleod
James Myers
William Orrom
James Stone
1989
Mark Bazalgette
Daryl Jenken
Mallory Lawrence
Julio Solla
1988
Robert Madoff
Anthony Vernava
Steven Wexner
Richard Whelan
1987
John Gocio
Robert Khoo
Ann Lowry
David Cherry
1986
David Meese
Stephen Smith
Carol-Ann Vasilevsky
Ramses Wassef
1985
Christohper Lahr
Paul Shellito
Alan Thorson
William Walker
1984
Joel Nizin
Thomas Rusing
John Watts
W. Douglas Wong
1983
Frederick Herman
Vendie Hooks, III
James Langevin
Eric Rolfsmeyer
1982
David Fang
Harold Kennedy
Fred Vermeulen
1981
Paul Belliveau
Charles Finne, III
Hartley Stern
1980
Mark Christensen
Jeffrey Griffin
Mark Segall
1952-1979
1979
Gregory Brabbee
John Nicholson
David Rothenberger
1978
Gordon Klatt
Steven Olchowski
William Johnson
1977
H. William Allred
Frederic Nemer
Philip Robbins
John Buls
1976
Christopher Longaker
Michael Slade
C. Douglas Wood
Andrew McLeish
1975
Melvin Bubrick
Gary Gilbertson
1974
Carl Christenson
F. Graham Fallon
1973
Philip Gordon
Lee Smith
Ian Gunn
1972
Fred Mantel
Haskell Bass, Jr.
1971
Ramesh Chawla
Patrick Hagihara
Santhat Nivatvongs
1970
Stanley Manax
1969
James Young
Ernesto Eusebio
1967
Emmanuel Balcos
Loren Nelson
1965
F. Gary Lewis
1962
Stanley Goldberg
1958
Richard Capek
1956
Emerson Hoppes
1955
Bernard Kaplan
1952
Gordon Marlow
1951
Earl Myers
83rd Annual Principles of Colon & Rectal Surgery Course: Hot Topics
February 21-22, 2025
Register today to attend our 83rd Annual Course. Our internationally renowned faculty will review current treatment strategies, discuss novel approaches to both benign and malignant diseases, and debate current controversies in colorectal surgery.
This course will focus on hot topics in benign and malignant colon and rectal surgery. Particularly, lectures and discussions will be focused on surgical tips aimed at addressing challenging decisions or surgical situations. A major component of this course will be the opportunity to interact with faculty who use different protocols and have opposing points of view. These will be explored in case-based debates throughout the course aimed at provoking honest and informative discussion.
Contact
Administrative Phone:
612-625-7992
Administrative Fax:
612-625-4406
Alex Broek
Associate Administrator
Broek012@umn.edu
Arin Johnson
Academic Administrative Specialist
arinjohn@umn.edu
University of Minnesota
Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery
420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 195
Minneapolis, MN 55455