MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF
In the Division of General Surgery at University of Utah Health, we offer unparalleled experience for our trainees so that they can confidently provide the breadth of General Surgery care without the need for additional training. Those wishing to pursue additional fellowship training will be uniquely positioned to attain the most competitive fellowships because of our faculty reputation and the complex nature of our patients. Our residents routinely match into sought after fellowships, such as pediatric surgery, minimally invasive, colorectal, and cardiothoracic surgery. In addition, our emphasis on an educational growth mindset, combined with faculty dedicated to providing evidence-based care, creates an unequaled educational environment.
Our top-ranked general surgery program is dedicated to training world-class surgeons who will not only excel locally but influence the national and global face of surgery. With our extensive catchment area in the Mountain West region, our residents and fellows encounter the most complicated surgical diseases, providing them with unmatched experience that sets them apart in the field.
We also offer three highly coveted fellowships in surgical critical care, acute care surgery, and burn surgery. These fellowships provide advanced training and specialized skills including system development, quality improvement processes and a wide breadth of surgical critical care exposure. Our fellows thrive in an environment of graduated autonomy that ensures the development of independent surgical technical skill and decision-making.
While our commitment to education sustains us, our research and innovation focus is what motivates us. With dedicated trainee professional development time, our faculty help to ensure that our trainees are prepared to pursue fulfilling careers with an emphasis in administration, education and/or research. Our graduates are not just exceptional surgeons; they are future leaders of surgery who make a lasting and broad impact.
![Ram Nirula](/sites/g/files/zrelqx351/files/styles/portrait_wide/public/migration/media/nirula-ram-2.jpg?h=31f93908&itok=BgPe4htb)
HISTORY OF THE DIVISION OF GENERAL SURGERY
After a 40-year surgical career at the University of Utah, Edward Nelson, MD, retired in 2020. Having been deeply integrated in four decades of growth, innovation, and advancements, Dr. Nelson dedicated the next phase of his career to developing a book to capture the rich history of the department, with a unique vantage of the Division of General Surgery, from 1942 - 2022.
GIVE TO GENERAL SURGERY
The Department of Surgery at the University of Utah is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and patient care. Our clinics and labs house some of the most advanced technology and treatment options available to the community today. Our surgeons and researchers rank amongst the most gifted in the country. We are committed to providing our patients and our community with high quality treatments and outcomes.
Throughout our history, we have relied on the generosity of like-minded friends, corporations, foundations, and those who endorse the University’s mission of excellence. Now, more than ever before, our donors are essential to furthering this vital work. We depend on the loyal support of our donors whose generosity and caring makes a profound difference in the lives of people. All gifts are instrumental in achieving our goals and are essential to our well-being and growth. Even the smallest gift helps us to continue and expand our cutting-edge research, support our outstanding faculty and recruit new faculty for the benefit of future generations. Each donation, no matter the amount, is necessary and greatly appreciated.
The reasons for making a gift are personal and varied, ranging from gratitude for treatment from a health care provider, wanting to leave a legacy for future patients to benefit from, honoring a loved one’s memory or simply to make a charitable contribution.
We invite you to partner with us in securing the future of the vital research being done here in Utah. For information on these options and any other philanthropic questions you may have, please contact:
Kate Throneburg, Director of Advancement | Kate.Throneburg@hsc.utah.edu
CONTACT US
DIVISION CHIEF
Raminder Nirula, MD, MPH, FACS
Contact: Daniel Harkness
daniel.harkness@hsc.utah.edu
FELLOWSHIPS
Tonya Pickron
tonya.pickron@hsc.utah.edu
Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery
Alexander Colonna, MD
Burn
Giavonni Lewis, MD
RESIDENTS
Laura Lambert, MD
Contact: Lori Bybee
lori.bybee@hsc.utah.edu
ADMINISTRATION
Andrea Marsing
andrea.marsing@hsc.utah.edu