Welcome to the University of Kansas Department of Surgery
It is an exciting time to be part of the University of Kansas Department of Surgery.
Our mission is straightforward: to deliver exceptional care, advance the science of surgery, educate the next generation of surgical leaders, and improve the health of the communities we serve.
We are building on a strong foundation while looking boldly toward the future. Our Department brings together talented surgeons, scientists, educators, trainees, advanced practice providers, staff, and partners across the University of Kansas Medical Center and The University of Kansas Health System. Together, we have an opportunity to create something truly special—a department recognized not only for the excellence of its clinical care, but also for its innovation, discovery, education, and impact.
At the center of everything we do are our patients. Surgical excellence requires technical expertise and clinical judgment, but it also requires listening, compassion, teamwork, and a commitment to treating every patient as an individual. We strive to provide care that is both exceptionally sophisticated and deeply human.
As an academic department, our responsibility extends beyond the operating room. We are committed to asking important questions, pursuing discoveries that change the way surgery is practiced, and translating those discoveries into better care. We are equally committed to educating and mentoring the future doctors, surgeons, scientists, and leaders who will shape the future of our field.
We believe the best departments are built through collaboration. We are strengthening partnerships across disciplines, throughout our health system, across the University, and throughout Kansas City and the region. By bringing together many perspectives and areas of expertise, we can accomplish more than any individual or division can accomplish alone.
Just as importantly, we are committed to building a culture in which people can do their best work. We want our faculty, trainees, and staff to feel valued, supported, challenged, and inspired. Excellence and collaboration are not competing values—they are essential partners.
The University of Kansas Department of Surgery has tremendous momentum and opportunity. As we enter this next chapter, our ambition is not simply to grow. It is to grow with purpose—to become an increasingly excellent, innovative, collaborative, and nationally recognized Department while making a meaningful difference for the patients and communities we serve.
I am grateful to everyone who is helping us build that future, and I invite you to explore our Department, meet our people, and learn more about the work we are doing.
The future of surgery is being built here. And we are excited to build it together.
Lesly A. Dossett, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
Professor and Chair
Department of Surgery
