Latest Surgery News & Announcements

Stephanie Carter, MD, general surgery resident, has been reappointed as president of the Yale Minority Housestaff Organization (MHO) for the 2026–2027 term after being elected by her peers to continue in the role for a second year. Her continued leadership reflects MHO's commitment to supporting underrepresented-in-medicine trainees through mentorship, recruitment, professional development, community engagement, and pipeline initiatives. In this Q&A, Carter reflects on the organization's growth and impact, highlights accomplishments from the past year, and shares her priorities for the upcoming term.

Vascular surgery resident Chaitu Dandu, MD, received two awards for the development of a novel spatial computing platform, LUMEN (Live Unified Model for Endovascular Navigation). The technology—a collaborative effort with radiology—earned second place at the 2026 Yale Health AI Symposium Innovation Pitch Competition and first-place honors at the Yale Innovation Summit’s Health Track. Built on Apple Vision Pro, LUMEN integrates real-time fluoroscopic imaging into a head-mounted display, allowing surgeons to view intraoperative imaging directly within their field of view while improving ergonomics, maintaining sterility, and streamlining workflow.

The Yale Surgical Society (YSS) held its annual alumni dinner on May 21 at New Haven Country Club, featuring an awards ceremony honoring residents, faculty, and alumni for achievements in surgery, research, leadership, and service. The event was led by YSS President Cassius Iyad Ochoa Chaar, MD, MPH, MS. Barbara Ward, MD, received the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Robert Schlessel, MD, received the Distinguished Service Award. Sarah Loh, MD, received the Deepak Narayan Award, and Daniel Kerekes, MD, received the Sam Harvey Award. The inaugural Resident Research Awards were presented to Justin “Jay” Bader, MD, and Shahyan Rehman, MD.

The Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the inaugural Transformational Educators Honor Roll, recognizing 31 faculty members for outstanding contributions to the department’s educational mission. Honorees were identified through resident evaluations and achieved exceptional scores in teaching and trainee engagement categories. The initiative reflects the department’s broader efforts to strengthen teaching evaluation processes and advance transparent recognition of educational contributions across Yale School of Medicine. We congratulate these faculty on this well-deserved recognition.

The Yale Institute for Global Health has awarded Melanie Sion, MD, a $10,000 Global Health Spark Award to support the development of an international professional development program for women surgeons practicing across Africa. Endorsed by the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), Women in Surgery-Africa (WiSA), and the Pan African Association of Women Surgeons (PAWAS), the initiative will provide leadership training, mentorship, communication skills, and wellness support. The program addresses persistent gender-based barriers, including discrimination, burnout, sexual harassment, and limited access to leadership opportunities, while strengthening mentorship networks across the continent.

Gary Kopf, MD, professor of surgery and pioneering cardiothoracic surgeon at Yale School of Medicine, passed away on May 15, 2026. Over a career spanning more than 45 years, Dr. Kopf helped advance the fields of adult and pediatric cardiac surgery and played a foundational role in building Yale’s congenital heart surgery program at Yale New Haven Hospital. Recruited to Yale in 1980 and named Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in 1981, he was widely respected for his clinical expertise, mentorship, and longstanding commitment to biomedical ethics. Dr. Kopf will be remembered for his dedication to patients, his contributions to the field, and the warmth and compassion he brought to the Yale community. A memorial will be planned for fall 2026, with details to be shared as they become available.

Ansley Roche, MD has been appointed medical director for NP15 at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), a specialized inpatient unit serving patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital, effective June 1. A head and neck surgeon and associate professor of surgery (otolaryngology), Roche will help lead efforts to strengthen collaboration across clinical teams, support quality and safety initiatives, and advance patient-centered inpatient care for oncology patients. She will report jointly to leaders across the cancer service line, Department of Surgery, and YNHH executive leadership.

Adnan Prsic, MD, has been named program director of the Plastic Surgery Residency Program. Kerry Morrison, MD, and Tormod Westvik, MD, have been named associate program directors of the program. Together they will help lead the program with a focus on education, mentorship, innovation, and continued excellence in surgical training. Their combined experience and commitment to resident development will support the program’s ongoing growth and strengthen its tradition of preparing the next generation of plastic surgeons.

Siba Haykal, MD, PhD, section chief of reconstructive oncology in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Yale School of Medicine, has received the 2026 Healthnetwork Foundation Service Excellence Award. The award recognizes physicians selected based on feedback from grateful patients and supporters and includes support for research and clinical activities, as well as recognition at a Healthnetwork Foundation dinner honoring recipients. Haykal is a reconstructive surgeon-scientist focused on complex oncologic reconstruction and advancing patient-centered care.