Latest Surgery News & Announcements

Yale School of Medicine faculty, Mehra Golshan, MD, MBA, and Siba Haykal, MD, PhD, have received a $1.1 million philanthropic gift to support their research and clinical work in the Department of Surgery. Established by the Healthnetwork Foundation through the bequest of a grateful patient family, the fund recognizes their close collaboration in delivering patient-centered, multidisciplinary surgical care that integrates oncologic and reconstructive expertise. The endowed support will advance innovation in surgical research and care delivery, reinforcing the impact of cross-specialty teamwork on patient outcomes and quality of life.

Prashanth Vallabhajosyula, MD, MS, professor of cardiac surgery at Yale School of Medicine and surgical director of the Aortic Institute at the Yale New Haven Health Heart & Vascular Center, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF), the philanthropic arm of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).

The Department of Surgery is pleased to announce that Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (L+M) has received one-year Level III Trauma Center verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This designation recognizes L+M’s commitment to meeting nationally recognized standards for trauma care and emergency preparedness.

Yale’s aortic surgery team, in collaboration with the Yale Heart and Vascular Center, has reached a landmark achievement, performing its 100th Fenestrated and/or Branched EndoVascular Aneurysm Repair (F/BEVAR) this September.

The Yale Organ Transplantation and Immunology program completed its 750th liver transplant on Dec. 10, 2025. The landmark procedure reflects continued growth in procedural volume and strengthens the program’s trajectory toward designation as a nationally recognized Center of Excellence.

Michael G. Caty, MD, MMM, Robert Pritzker Professor of Surgery; chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Yale School of Medicine (YSM); and surgeon-in-chief of Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital (YNHCH), is retiring from his leadership roles after more than 13 years of dedicated service. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Robert Cowles, MD, will assume these roles in an interim capacity, and a national search for a permanent successor will launch in the coming weeks.

Shilpa S. Murthy, MD, MPH, an early career investigator at Yale Cancer Center and an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery and Medical Oncology, has been awarded a prestigious $1.1 million Career Development Award from the Department of Defense (DoD).

On Oct. 15, 2025, Benjamin L. Judson, MD, MBA, the Charles W. Ohse Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology), assumed the role of chair of the Yale School of Medicine (YSM) Department of Surgery; surgeon-in-chief of Yale New Haven Health; and chief of surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). He previously served in these interim roles for six months and was selected for the permanent position after a national search. Judson joined the YSM faculty in 2010 and has since held several leadership positions across the department and health system, most recently as chief of the Division of Otolaryngology, a role he assumed in 2019. In a recent interview, Judson shared insights into his career, perspective, and vision.

The Yale School of Medicine Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the promotion of Claudia Chujoy, MHA, to the position of director of administration, effective immediately.