In this episode of Scrubcast, Assistant Professor Dr. Dawesdiscusses what drew him to colorectal surgery—including his love for intestinal surgery, the field's breadth from minor anorectal procedures to complex pelvic surgeries, the welcoming culture, and love of new technology.

Dr. Dawes highlights exciting advances in robotic surgery,including performing California's first single-port colectomy with Dr. Gahagan. He explains how single-port robotic technology is particularly beneficial for natural orifice procedures, such as transanal surgery for rectal polyps and cancers, as well as operations involving stomas. While he acknowledges that robotic surgery won't completely replace traditional open surgery—especially for complex reoperative cases—he believes it's lowering the technical barriers for minimally invasive procedures and expanding what surgeons can offer patients. As Stanford's Director of Robotic Education, he has been revamping the surgical residency curriculum to make robotic training more transparent and accessible, with clear milestones for both residents and faculty.

Read about his new K award: https://surgery.stanford.edu/news2/dawes-k08.html

On this episode of Scrubcast, host Rachel Baker speaks with Dr.Catherine Curtin, a professor specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University's Department of Surgery. Dr. Curtin explains that peripheral nerves—nerves outside the brain and spinal cord—are the "neglected children" of medicine and can cause a wide range of problems from headaches to carpal tunnel syndrome. Her new favorite nerve isthe peroneal nerve, which is located on the outside of the knee. She discusses common issues related to this nerve, including foot drop and clumsiness, while sharing insights from her research aimed at identifying individuals at higherrisk of peripheral nerve injuries. The conversation also touches on the importance of preventative measures and advancements in diagnosing these conditions. Dr. Curtin discusses her research aimed at identifying at-risk individuals before they experience falls and injuries.

Don’t miss the episode's "lightning round" when Dr.Curtin shares her admiration for her mentor Dr. Rod Hentz, her mantra to "be the blessing," and her unique approach of letting awake patients choose the operating room music …and threatening to play Justin Bieber if they can't decide!

Link to International Orthopaedics articles:

An overview of common peroneal nerve dysfunction and systematic assessment of its relation to falls

Carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis as a risk factor for falls