Advances in medicine and surgery over the past century have improved the care of previously untreatable diseases, and whether you are thinking of entering the medical field or not, these innovations are sure to touch your lives and those of your loved ones. But what does it take to advance the field of medicine and the deliver the best possible care to patients? Dr. Carlos Fernandez, professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, is an expert in pancreatic surgery–notably, the famous “Whipple” procedure, considered to be the most challenging intra-abdominal surgery, designed to treat pancreatic cancer–the most aggressive form of cancer. Come learn from Dr. Fernandez how he confronted these clinical challenges, identified opportunities to improve care of his patients, and developed a basic science and clinical research program that has had a worldwide impact on the care of patients with cancer.

Dr. Fernandez-del Castillo is the director of the pancreas and biliary surgery program and clinical co-director of the GI cancer center at the MGH, as well as professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is a widely recognized expert in pancreatic and biliary surgery, and has authored over 250 publications on pancreatic cancer, cystic tumors of the pancreas, IPMN, neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors, acute and chronic pancreatitis. He serves in the editorial board many journals, including Annals of Surgery, and Surgery.