Alex Cortez, M.D.

  1. Transplant Surgeon
  1. Winer LK, Panzica N, Lynch K, Parker C, Lancaster R, Gillis A, Lindeman B, Chen H, Fazendin J, Cortez AR, Zmijewski P. Resident perspectives on the role of gender in operative experience during general surgery residency training: A mixed-methods study. Am J Surg. 2024 Nov; 237:115755 Epub 2024 Apr 27
    View PubMed
  2. Poling HM, Sundaram N, Fisher GW, Singh A, Shiley JR, Nattamai K, Govindarajah V, Cortez AR, Krutko MO, Menoret S, Anegon I, Kasendra M, Wells JM, Mayhew CN, Takebe T, Mahe MM, Helmrath MA. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids repair damaged bowel in vivo. Cell Stem Cell. 2024 Sep 5 Epub 2024 Sept 05
    View PubMed
  3. Yilma M, Brown AE, Harvey J, Stahl CC, Quillin RC, Syed SM, Cortez AR, US Resident OPerative Experience (ROPE) Consortium. Examining the Influence of a General Surgery Resident's Transplant Experience on Their Pursuit of Transplant Surgery Fellowship. Clin Transplant. 2024 Jul; 38 (7):e15398
    View PubMed
  4. Eruchalu CN, Etheridge JC, Hammaker AC, Kader S, Abelson JS, Harvey J, Farr D, Stopenski SJ, Nahmias JT, Elsaadi A, Campbell SJ, Foote DC, Ivascu FA, Montgomery KB, Zmijewski P, Byrd SE, Kimbrough MK, Smith S, Postlewait LM, Dodwad SM, Adams SD, Markesbery KC, Meister KM, Woeste MR, Martin RCG 2nd, Callahan ZM, Marks JA, Patel P, Anstadt MJ, Nasim BW, Willis RE, Patel JA, Newcomb MR, Stahl CC, Yafi MA, Sutton JM, George BC, Quillin RC 3rd, Cho NL, Cortez AR. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Operative Experience Among General Surgery Residents: A Multi-Institutional Study from the US ROPE Consortium. Ann Surg. 2024 Jan 1; 279 (1):172-179 Epub 2023 Mar 17
    View PubMed
  5. Sisak S, Price AD, Foote DC, Montgomery KB, Lindeman B, Cho NL, Sheu NO, Postlewait LM, Smith SR, Markesbery KC, Meister KM, Kader S, Abelson JS, Anstadt MJ, Patel PP, Marks JA, Callahan ZM, Kimbrough MK, Byrd SE, Stopenski SJ, Nahmias JT, Patel JA, Wilt W, Dodwad SM, Adams SD, Willis RE, Farr D, Harvey J, Woeste MR, Martin RCG, Al Yafi M, Sutton JM, Cortez AR, Holm TM. A multi-institutional study from the US ROPE consortium examining factors associated with endocrine surgery exposure for general surgery residents. Surgery. 2024 Jan; 175 (1):107-113 Epub 2023 Nov 10
    View PubMed
  6. Price AD, Foote DC, Woeste MR, Winer LK, Montgomery KB, Al Yafi M, Nahmias JT, Postlewait LM, Sutton JM, Quillin RC, Cortez AR, US ROPE Consortium. Defining the Disparity: A Multi-Institutional Analysis of Factors Associated With Decreased Resident Operative Experience. J Surg Res. 2024 Jan; 293:647-655 Epub 2023 Oct 12
    View PubMed
  7. Ashraf H, Gunda D, Morgan FH, Ashraf G, Cortez AR, Muralidharan V, Stevens S. Impact of work hour restrictions on the operative experience of general surgical residents: A systemic review Surgery in Practice and Science. 2023; 15.
  8. Winer LK, Kader S, Abelson JS, Hammaker AC, Eruchalu CN, Etheridge JC, Cho NL, Foote DC, Ivascu FA, Smith S, Postlewait LM, Greenwell K, Meister KM, Montgomery KB, Zmijewski P, Byrd SE, Kimbrough MK, Stopenski SJ, Nahmias JT, Harvey J, Farr D, Callahan ZM, Marks JA, Stahl CC, Al Yafi M, Sutton JM, Elsaadi A, Campbell SJ, Dodwad SM, Adams SD, Woeste MR, Martin RCG, Patel P, Anstadt MJ, Nasim BW, Willis RE, Patel JA, Newcomb MR, George BC, Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR. Disparities in the Operative Experience Between Female and Male General Surgery Residents: A Multi-institutional Study From the US ROPE Consortium. Ann Surg. 2023 Jul 1; 278 (1):1-7 Epub 2023 Mar 30
    View PubMed
  9. Vaysburg DM, Delman AM, Sisak S, Turner KM, Ammann AM, Cortez AR, Shah SA, Quillin Iii RC. Biophysiological stress and sleep deprivation among abdominal transplant surgery fellows: A prospective multi-institutional study using a wearable device. Am J Surg. 2023 Jun; 225 (6):962-966 Epub 2022 Nov 08
    View PubMed
  10. Sisak S, Salyer CE, Cortez AR, Vaysburg DM, Quillin RC 3rd, Van Haren RM. Experience of surgical subspecialty residents on general surgery rotations. Am J Surg. 2023 Apr; 225 (4):673-678 Epub 2022 Oct 21
    View PubMed
  11. Farooqui Z, Cortez AR, PottsIII JR, Tiao GM, von Allmen D, Quillin RC 3rd, Bondoc AJ, Garrison AP. 10 Year Analysis of Pediatric Surgery Fellowship Match and Operative Experience: Concerning Trends? Ann Surg. 2023 Feb 1; 277 (2):e475-e482 Epub 2023 Jan 10
    View PubMed
  12. Cortez AR, Ibanez B, Winer LK, Jones AT, Quillin RC 3rd, Valentine RJ, Potts JR 3rd. Are General Surgery Residencies Preparing Graduates for the Practice of Today's General Surgeon? An Analysis of American Board of Surgery Data From Applicants and Re-certifying Surgeons. Ann Surg. 2023 Jan 1; 277 (1):e197-e203 Epub 2021 June 02
    View PubMed
  13. Cortez AR, Delman AM, Quillin RC 3rd. Examining the transplant case composition of early-career transplant surgeons. Clin Transplant. 2023 Jan; 37 (1):e14839 Epub 2022 Nov 09
    View PubMed
  14. Barnes GA, Baker SJ, Cortez AR, Lovasik B, Sandhu G, Cooper A, Hildreth A, Simmons JD, Delman KA, Gleason MF, Lindeman B. A therapeutic intervention for burnout in general surgery residents. Global Surg Educ. 2023; 2(25).
  15. Woeste MR, Salyer CE, Hammaker AC, Dodwad SJ, Foote DC, Nahmias JT, Callahan ZM, Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR, US Resident OPerative Experience (ROPE) Consortium. Do General Surgery Residents Begin Specializing Before Fellowship? A Multi-Institutional Study from the US ROPE Consortium. J Am Coll Surg. 2022 Nov 1; 235 (5):799-808 Epub 2022 Oct 17
    View PubMed
  16. Hammaker AC, Dodwad SM, Salyer CE, Adams SD, Foote DC, Ivascu FA, Kader S, Abelson JS, Al Yafi M, Sutton JM, Smith S, Postlewait LM, Stopenski SJ, Nahmias JT, Harvey J, Farr D, Callahan ZM, Marks JA, Elsaadi A, Campbell SJ, Stahl CC, Hanseman DJ, Patel P, Woeste MR, Martin RCG, Patel JA, Newcomb MR, Greenwell K, Meister KM, Etheridge JC, Cho NL, Thrush CR, Kimbrough MK, Nasim BW, Willis RE, George BC, Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR. A multi-institutional study from the US ROPE Consortium examining factors associated with directly entering practice upon residency graduation. Surgery. 2022 Sep; 172 (3):906-912 Epub 2022 July 01
    View PubMed
  17. Cortez AR, Ibanez B, Jones AT, Valentine RJ, Potts JR 3rd. Contemporary Practice of General Surgery in the US: Analysis of American Board of Surgery Diplomate Case Logs. J Am Coll Surg. 2022 Jul 1; 235 (1):17-25 Epub 2022 Apr 05
    View PubMed
  18. Delman AM, Turner KM, Ammann AM, Schepers E, Vaysburg DM, Cortez AR, Van Haren RM, Wilson GC, Shah SA, Quillin RC 3rd. The volume-outcomes relationship in donation after circulatory death liver transplantation. Clin Transplant. 2022 Jun; 36 (6):e14658 Epub 2022 Apr 25
    View PubMed
  19. Ammann AM, Cortez AR, Vaysburg DM, Winer LK, Sussman JJ, Potts JR 3rd, Van Haren R, Quillin RC 3rd. Examining the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the operative volumes of US general surgery residents. Surgery. 2022 Feb; 171 (2):354-359 Epub 2021 June 12
    View PubMed
  20. Vaysburg DM, Wells D, Lynch C, Kassam AF, Cortez AR, Potts JR 3rd, Starnes SL, Quillin RC 3rd, Van Haren RM. Impact of Integrated Thoracic Residency on General Surgery Residents' Thoracic Operative Volume. Ann Thorac Surg. 2022 Jan; 113 (1):302-307 Epub 2021 Feb 16
    View PubMed
  21. Baker S, Gleason F, Lovasik B, Sandhu G, Cortez A, Hildreth A, Cooper A, Simmons J, Delman KA, Lindeman B. Relationship between burnout and mistreatment: Who plays a role? Am J Surg. 2021 Dec; 222 (6):1060-1065 Epub 2021 July 22
    View PubMed
  22. Vaysburg DM, Morris C, Kassam AF, Delman AM, Ammann AM, Cortez AR, Van Haren RM, Quillin RC 3rd. Who is Committed to Education? An Analysis of Surgical Education Research Publications. J Surg Educ. 2021 Nov-Dec; 78 (6):e93-e99 Epub 2021 Aug 03
    View PubMed
  23. Kassam AF, Cortez AR, Johnston ME, Zang H, Fei L, Lin TK, Abu-El-Haija M, Nathan JD. Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation reduces resource utilization in pediatric patients. Am J Surg. 2021 Oct; 222 (4):786-792 Epub 2021 Jan 27
    View PubMed
  24. Vaysburg DM, Cortez AR, Hanseman DJ, Delman AM, Morris C, Kassam AF, Kutz D, Lewis J, Van Haren RM, Quillin RC 3rd. An analysis of applicant competitiveness to general surgery, surgical subspecialties, and integrated programs. Surgery. 2021 Oct; 170 (4):1087-1092 Epub 2021 Apr 18
    View PubMed
  25. Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR, Dageforde LA, Watkins A, Collins KM, Garonzik-Wang J, Glorioso JM, Tevar AD, Emond JC, Segev DL. Transplant Surgery Pipeline: A Report from the American Society of Transplant Surgeons Pipeline Taskforce. J Am Coll Surg. 2021 Aug; 233 (2):262-271 Epub 2021 May 17
    View PubMed
  26. Arora K, Yang F, Brewington J, McPhail G, Cortez AR, Sundaram N, Ramananda Y, Ogden H, Helmrath M, Clancy JP, Naren AP. Patient personalized translational tools in cystic fibrosis to transform data from bench to bed-side and back. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2021 Jun 1; 320 (6):G1123-G1130 Epub 2021 May 05
    View PubMed
  27. Winer LK, Cortez AR, Ahmad SA, Wima K, Olowokure O, Latif T, Kharofa J, Patel SH. Evaluating the Impact of ESPAC-1 on Shifting the Paradigm of Pancreatic Cancer Treatment. J Surg Res. 2021 Mar; 259:442-450 Epub 2020 Oct 13
    View PubMed
  28. Levinsky NC, Byrne MM, Hanseman DJ, Cortez AR, Guitron J, Starnes SL, Van Haren RM. Opioid Dependence After Lung Cancer Resection: Institutional Analysis of State Prescription Drug Database. World J Surg. 2021 Mar; 45 (3):887-896 Epub 2020 Nov 21
    View PubMed
  29. Kassam AF, Taylor M, Cortez AR, Winer LK, Quillin RC 3rd. Gender and ethnic diversity in academic general surgery department leadership. Am J Surg. 2021 Feb; 221 (2):363-368 Epub 2020 Nov 25
    View PubMed
  30. Kassam AF, Cortez AR, Winer LK, Conzen KD, El-Hinnawi A, Jones CM, Matsuoka L, Watkins AC, Collins KM, Bhati C, Selzner M, Sonnenday CJ, Englesbe MJ, Diwan TS, Dick AAS, Quillin RC 3rd. Extinguishing burnout: National analysis of predictors and effects of burnout in abdominal transplant surgery fellows. Am J Transplant. 2021 Jan; 21(1):307-313. Epub 2020 Jun 24.
    View PubMed
  31. Kassam AF, Lynch CA, Cortez AR, Vaysburg D, Potts JR 3rd, Quillin RC 3rd. Where Has All the Complexity Gone? An Analysis of the Modern Surgical Resident Operative Experience. J Surg Educ. 2021 Jan-Feb; 78 (1):9-16 Epub 2020 June 29
    View PubMed
  32. Lee TC, Dhar VK, Cortez AR, Morris MC, Winer LK, Silski LS, Cuffy MC, Diwan TS, Quillin RC 3rd, Shah SA, Cincinnati Research on Outcomes and Safety in Surgery (CROSS). Impact of side-to-side cavocavostomy versus traditional piggyback implantation in liver transplantation. Surgery. 2020 Dec; 168 (6):1060-1065 Epub 2020 Sept 01
    View PubMed
  33. Cortez AR, Kassam AF, Lin TK, Paulsen GC, Brunner J, Jenkins TM, Danziger-Isakov LA, Ahmad SA, Abu-El-Haija M, Nathan JD. Sterility Cultures Following Pancreatectomy with Islet Autotransplantation in the Pediatric Population: Do They Matter? J Gastrointest Surg. 2020 Nov; 24 (11):2526-2535 Epub 2019 Nov 19
    View PubMed
  34. Mullins CH, Gleason F, Wood T, Baker SJ, Cortez AR, Lovasik B, Sandhu G, Cooper A, Hildreth AN, Simmons JD, Delman KA, Lindeman B. Do Internal or External Characteristics More Reliably Predict Burnout in Resident Physicians: A Multi-institutional Study. J Surg Educ. 2020 Nov-Dec; 77 (6):e86-e93 Epub 2020 Oct 17
    View PubMed
  35. Kassam AF, Cortez AR, Winer LK, Baker JE, Hanseman DJ, Wells D, Yalamanchili S, Habashy E, Chausse S, Makley AT, Goodman MD, Sussman JJ, Quillin RC 3rd. Swipe right for surgical residency: Exploring the unconscious bias in resident selection. Surgery. 2020 Oct; 168 (4):724-729 Epub 2020 July 14
    View PubMed
  36. Kassam AF, Goddard GR, Johnston ME, Cortez AR, Trout AT, Jenkins TM, Miethke AG, Campbell KM, Bezerra JA, Balistreri WF, Nathan JD, Alonso MH, Tiao GM, Bondoc AJ. Natural Course of Pediatric Portal Hypertension. Hepatol Commun. 2020 Sep; 4 (9):1346-1352 Epub 2020 July 16
    View PubMed
  37. Cortez AR, Potts JR 3rd. More of less: General Surgery Resident Experience in Biliary Surgery. J Am Coll Surg. 2020 Jul; 231 (1):33-42 Epub 2020 Apr 23
    View PubMed
  38. Cortez AR, Morris MC, Brown NG, Winer LK, Safdar K, Poreddy S, Shah SA, Quillin RC 3rd. Is Surgery Necessary? Endoscopic Management of Post-transplant Biliary Complications in the Modern Era. J Gastrointest Surg. 2020 Jul; 24 (7):1639-1647 Epub 2019 June 21
    View PubMed
  39. Cortez AR, Warren PW, Goddard GR, Jenkins TM, Sauser JA, Gerrein BT, Rymeski BA. Primary Placement of a Low-Profile Gastrostomy Button Is Safe and Associated With Improved Outcomes in Children. J Surg Res. 2020 May; 249:156-162 Epub 2020 Jan 17
    View PubMed
  40. Lee TC, Cortez AR, Kassam AF, Morris MC, Winer LK, Silski LS, Quillin RC 3rd, Cuffy MC, Jones CR, Diwan TS, Shah SA. Outcomes of en bloc simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation compared to the traditional technique. Am J Transplant. 2020 Apr; 20(4):1181-1187. Epub 2019 Nov 06.
    View PubMed
  41. Cortez AR, Winer LK, Katsaros GD, Kassam AF, Shah SA, Diwan TS, Cutler Quillin R 3rd. Resident Operative Experience in Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery: Exposing the Divide. J Gastrointest Surg. 2020 Apr; 24(4):796-803. Epub 2019 Apr 22.
    View PubMed
  42. Kassam AF, Kim Y, Cortez AR, Dhar VK, Wima K, Shah SA. The impact of opioid use on human and health care costs in surgical patients. Surg Open Sci. 2020 Apr; 2 (2):92-95 Epub 2020 Jan 11
    View PubMed
  43. Graff JT, Cortez AR, Dhar VK, Wakefield C, Cuffy MC, Shah SA, Goodman MD. Perioperative thrombelastography serves as an important assessment tool of transfusion requirements during liver transplantation. Surg Open Sci. 2020 Apr; 2 (2):70-74 Epub 2020 Jan 23
    View PubMed
  44. Winer LK, Vivero MP, Scully BF, Cortez AR, Kassam AF, Nowygrod R, Griesemer AD, Emond JC, Quillin RC 3rd. Exploring Medical Students' Perceptions of Organ Procurement: Need for a Formalized Medical Student Curriculum. J Surg Educ. 2020 Mar-Apr; 77 (2):329-336 Epub 2019 Nov 18
    View PubMed
  45. Kassam AF, Cortez AR, Winer LK, Kuethe JW, Athota KP, Quillin RC 3rd. The impact of medical student interest in surgery on clerkship performance and career choice. Am J Surg. 2020 Feb; 219 (2):359-365 Epub 2019 Oct 09
    View PubMed
  46. Cortez AR, Winer LK, Kassam AF, Hanseman DJ, Kuethe JW, Sussman JJ, Quillin RC 3rd. Exploring the relationship between burnout and grit during general surgery residency: A longitudinal, single-institution analysis. Am J Surg. 2020 Feb; 219 (2):322-327 Epub 2019 Oct 08
    View PubMed
  47. Kassam AF, Cortez AR, Diwan TS, Bailey A, Mirza A, Sussman JJ, Makley AT, Quillin RC 3rd. Return to the Real World: A Novel Program to Improve Resident Readiness for the Transplant Surgery Rotation. J Surg Educ. 2020 Mar-Apr; 77(2):242-245. Epub 2019 Sep 25.
    View PubMed
  48. Cortez AR, Kassam AF, Jenkins TM, Nathan CJ, Nathan JD, Alonso MH, Ryckman FC, Tiao GM, Bondoc AJ. The role of surgical shunts in the treatment of pediatric portal hypertension. Surgery. 2019 Nov; 166 (5):907-913 Epub 2019 July 05
    View PubMed
  49. Cortez AR, Winer LK, Kassam AF, Hanseman DJ, Kuethe JW, Quillin RC 3rd, Potts JR 3rd. See None, Do Some, Teach None: An Analysis of the Contemporary Operative Experience as Nonprimary Surgeon. J Surg Educ. 2019 Nov-Dec; 76 (6):e92-e101 Epub 2019 May 23
    View PubMed
  50. Winer LK, Cortez AR, Kassam AF, Quillin RC, Goodman MD, Makley AT, Sussman JJ, Kuethe JW. The Impact of a Comprehensive Resident Curriculum and Required Participation in "This Week in SCORE" on General Surgery ABSITE Performance and Well-Being. J Surg Educ. 2019 Nov-Dec; 76 (6):e102-e109 Epub 2019 Sept 03
    View PubMed
  51. Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR, Garcia MA, Winer LK, Kassam AF, Kuethe JW, Pritts TA. Gas off, room lights on: Shedding light on the surgical resident's experience in open and laparoscopic surgery. Surgery. 2019 Oct; 166 (4):460-468 Epub 2019 July 13
    View PubMed
  52. Cortez AR, Freeman CM, Levinsky NC, Kassam AF, Wima K, Jung AD, Rafferty JF, Paquette IM. The impact of preoperative opioid use on outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: A propensity-matched comparison study. Surgery. 2019 Oct; 166 (4):632-638 Epub 2019 Aug 28
    View PubMed
  53. Cortez AR, Kassam AF, Levinsky NC, Jung AD, Daly MC, Shah SA, Rafferty JF, Paquette IM. Enhanced recovery protocol improves postoperative outcomes and minimizes narcotic use following resection for colon and rectal cancer. Surg Open Sci. 2019 Oct; 1 (2):74-79 Epub 2019 July 02
    View PubMed
  54. Cortez AR, Winer LK, Kassam AF, Kuethe JW, Athota KP, Quillin RC 3rd. The Impact of Medical Student Burnout on Surgery Clerkship Performance. J Surg Educ. 2019 Sep-Oct; 76 (5):1241-1247 Epub 2019 Mar 08
    View PubMed
  55. Cortez AR, Winer LK, Kim Y, Hanseman DJ, Athota KP, Quillin RC 3rd. Predictors of medical student success on the surgery clerkship. Am J Surg. 2019 Jan; 217 (1):169-174 Epub 2018 Sept 21
    View PubMed
  56. Cortez AR, Poling HM, Brown NE, Singh A, Mahe MM, Helmrath MA. Transplantation of human intestinal organoids into the mouse mesentery: A more physiologic and anatomic engraftment site. Surgery. 2018 Oct; 164 (4):643-650 Epub 2018 July 30
    View PubMed
  57. Cortez AR, Dhar VK, Sussman JJ, Pritts TA, Edwards MJ, Quillin RC 3rd. Not all operative experiences are created equal: a 19-year analysis of a single center's case logs. J Surg Res. 2018 Sep; 229:127-133 Epub 2018 Apr 25
    View PubMed
  58. Cortez AR, Katsaros GD, Dhar VK, Drake FT, Pritts TA, Sussman JJ, Edwards MJ, Quillin RC 3rd. Narrowing of the surgical resident operative experience: A 27-year analysis of national ACGME case logs. Surgery. 2018 Sep; 164 (3):577-582 Epub 2018 June 19
    View PubMed
  59. Kim Y, Cortez AR, Wima K, Dhar VK, Athota KP, Schrager JJ, Pritts TA, Edwards MJ, Shah SA. Impact of Preoperative Opioid Use After Emergency General Surgery. J Gastrointest Surg. 2018 Jun; 22 (6):1098-1103 Epub 2018 Jan 16
    View PubMed
  60. Chang AL, Cortez AR, Bondoc A, Schauer DP, Fitch A, Shah SA, Woodle SE, Diwan T. Metabolic syndrome in liver transplantation: A preoperative and postoperative concern. Surgery. 2016 Oct; 160(4):1111-1117. Epub 2016 Aug 03.
    View PubMed
  61. Knod JL, Holder M, Cortez AR, Martinez-Leo B, Kern P, Saeed S, Warner B, Dickie B, Falcone RA, von Allmen D, Frischer JS. Surgical outcomes, bowel habits and quality of life in young patients after ileoanal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Aug; 51 (8):1246-50 Epub 2016 Mar 23
    View PubMed
  62. Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR, Pritts TA, Hanseman DJ, Edwards MJ, Davis BR. Operative Variability Among Residents Has Increased Since Implementation of the 80-Hour Workweek. J Am Coll Surg. 2016 Jun; 222 (6):1201-10 Epub 2016 Mar 18
    View PubMed
  63. Quillin RC 3rd, Cortez AR, Pritts TA, Hanseman DJ, Edwards MJ, Davis BR. Surgical resident learning styles have changed with work hours. J Surg Res. 2016 Jan; 200 (1):39-45 Epub 2015 June 24
    View PubMed
  64. Cortez AR, McGrath T, Levitt MA, Podberesky DJ, von Almen D. Neuroblastoma associated with persistent cloaca: A case report Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports. 2013.