Sam Yoon was appointed in 2021 as Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology and Vice-Chair of Surgical Oncology Research and Education at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Celebrated worldwide, he specializes in treating sarcomas, stomach and gastroesophageal junction cancers, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). His leadership in groundbreaking clinical trials and frequent participation as a speaker at global medical conferences underscore his significant influence in the field. His expertise is particularly vital given that stomach cancer ranks as the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, affecting millions and causing over 750,000 deaths each year.
Patients Seek His Expertise
Well-regarded in the medical community for his commitment to excellence and patient-centered care, he attracts patients throughout the tri-state area. He has been consistently recognized as one of the best doctors in America from 2010 to 2011 and from 2017 to 2020. He consults at multiple locations, including CUIMC/Herbert Irving Pavilion in New York City and facilities in Bronxville, Cortland Manor in New York, and Englewood, New Jersey.
His Educational Path
His academic foundation was laid at Harvard University, where he completed his undergraduate studies. He later earned his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. His advanced training included a general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
A Remarkable Career in Medicine
Before his current role, he was an attending surgeon at the Division of Gastric and Mixed Tumors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. His earlier academic appointments included an Associate Professorship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School before his move to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2012.
Innovations in Surgery
Sam has been a trailblazer in minimally invasive robotic surgery, performing more than 300 procedures, such as robotic gastrectomies. This approach allows for smaller incisions than traditional surgery and includes a high-resolution camera and sophisticated robotic tools.
His notable achievements include developing a successful surgical technique for connecting the small bowel to the esophagus in patients with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) syndrome, a method known for its meager leakage rates and now widely adopted by his peers nationwide.
He also actively contributes to research groups funded by Stand Up To Cancer and the DeGregorio Family Foundation for Gastric and Esophageal Cancer Research. His efforts include a 2019 project co-led by a colleague from the University of Pennsylvania, supported by a $100,000 grant from the DeGregorio Family Foundation. In 2020, his team at Columbia received a $3 million grant to explore new diagnostic tests that could detect gastric cancer earlier than traditional methods.
His scholarly output includes over 150 original research articles, book chapters, and reviews. He has also been an editorial board member of prestigious journals such as the Annals of Surgical Oncology and the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.
Awards and Recognitions
His extensive contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the American College of Surgeons/Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract Health Policy Scholar Award (2019-2020), several teaching awards from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the 2017 Paper of the Year Award from the New England Surgical Society, the Josef E. Fischer International Traveling Fellowship Award for Surgeons in Academic Practice, and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract’s Clinical Investigator Award (2009-2011).
Personal Pursuits
Adjacent to his childhood home was a golf course, where he began playing golf, a hobby that has provided him with a valuable outlet for relaxation and social interaction. More recently, he has delved into woodworking, showcasing his handcrafted pieces on Instagram, describing them as “everlasting.”
Throughout his career, Dr. Sam Yoon has demonstrated unwavering dedication to advancing surgical techniques and improving patient outcomes, establishing himself as a leader in surgical oncology.
Portfolio : https://drsamyoon.com/
