Rohan Jeyarajah, M.D.
The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine has appointed Rohan Jeyarajah, M.D., as its first academic chair of surgery. Jeyarajah will lead the planning, operations and oversight within the surgery department.
“I am so happy and so proud to be a part of the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine and this new approach to medical education,” Jeyarajah said in the news release announcing his appointment.
Jeyarajah is the director of Gastrointestinal Surgical Services at Methodist Richardson Medical Center, as well as Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) Surgery Fellowship program director at Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
The HPB Fellowship is unique in that it focuses on a specific on the upper abdomen area where malignant and benign diseases of upper gastrointestinal tract occur, the medical school release said.
His current practice focuses on diseases of the upper abdominal tract, including surgical therapy for pancreatic, liver, bile duct, stomach and esophageal conditions. His work has led to significant funding for his research in pancreatic disease.
“Dr. Jeyarajah is an ideal addition in the critical department of surgery for our medical school. His surgical talents and knowledge about the complexities of surgery are a valuable asset to our faculty and students,” said TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine Dean Stuart Flynn, M.D.
“And equally important, his compassion for his patients and his wonderful communication skills with them, sometimes in difficult situations, are role model qualities that our students will be able to carry forward throughout their career. Our students will benefit immensely from Dr. Jeyarajah’s mentoring and leadership,” Flynn said.
Having a surgeon of his caliber as a part of the new School of Medicine is a great distinction, said Ken Hutchenrider, Jr., FACHE, president of Methodist Richardson Medical Center.
“We are pleased Dr. Jeyarajah is now representing Methodist in this capacity at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.” Hutchenrider said. “As the director of both the GI Surgical Services and HPB/Advanced GI program, Dr. Jeyarajah has made such an impact here at Methodist Richardson, not just for our patients, but also for the future of hepatobiliary treatment and care.”
Jeyarajah was born in Sri Lanka but grew up in Africa. His family spent some time in London and he eventually came to the United States, where he trained at the University of Chicago. Afterward he completed a liver transplant fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center in Houston.
In 1997, he was brought on as faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School where he rose to the rank of associate professor. He worked there until 2005, when he was named the director of Surgical Oncology and Fellowship Director at Methodist Dallas Medical Center where he currently works.
Jeyarajah has authored more than 100 articles and book chapters. He also serves as the vice president of The Fellowship Council and chair of the HPB Program Directors Committee of the American Hepatopancreaticobiliary Association.
Jeyarajah also serves as Governor of the American College of Surgeons. Prior to that he was part of the Program Director’s Committee of the AHPBA and former President of the North Texas Chapter of the ACS.
Jeyarajah played a role in the initial design of the school’s curriculum, participating in the School of Medicine’s proto-curriculum committee prior to being selected as an academic chair.
“I really fell into that about two years ago because I reached out to the school to see how I could help on the surgical side,” Jeyarajah said. “Dean Flynn saw something in me that he thought could be a good fit for the school and I was asked to take on this leadership role. I am so excited for this opportunity.”
The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine is Fort Worth’s M.D. school, set to open with a class of 60 students in July.
– FWBP Staff