Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s New Chief of Surgery	Print Issue
September 16, 2008 , Volume 55, No. 4

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center has announced that Dr. Kenric Michael Murayama, became the new Chief of Surgery, effective September 15. He joined Penn Presbyterian from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu, where he was professor of surgery and chief of general surgery.

An expert in minimally invasive surgery, Dr. Murayama was director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. In addition, he served as associate chair for Robotics & Emerging Technologies and director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. He served as director of The Queen’s Comprehensive Weight Management Program, a multidisciplinary program he developed four years ago and the first of its kind in the state of Hawaii.

In his new role as chief of surgery, Dr. Murayama will have direct responsibility and oversight of all surgical services at Penn Presbyterian. Under his leadership, he will continue the growth and development of what is already a strong academic surgical department.

 “We are very fortunate to have a physician of Dr. Murayama’s caliber as our new chief of surgery,” said Michele Volpe, executive director and chief executive officer. “Penn Presbyterian Medical Center is well known for its expertise in minimally invasive surgery, including cardiac, prostate cancer and gastrointestinal surgeries. Dr. Murayama’s strong leadership, collaborative and technical skills will take our department of surgery to the next level.”

Among Dr. Murayama’s many accomplishments in the field of minimally invasive surgery, he is an expert in advanced laparoscopic surgery, bariatric surgery to treat morbid obesity and other gastrointestinal surgeries.

Dr. Murayama received his medical degree from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and completed his surgical residency at the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He did a research fellowship in pancreatic physiology at the Northwestern University Medical School and VA Lakeside Medical Center. Upon completion of his fellowship, he was recruited to the University of Nebraska Medical School where he was assistant professor of surgery.

In addition to his surgical expertise, Dr. Murayama has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching. He was selected as the Teacher of the Year for three consecutive years while instructing surgical residents at St. Louis University and Northwestern University Medical School.

He will be appointed to the department of surgery faculty in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Dr. Murayama has more than 40 published journal articles, nearly 20 book chapters and five published reviews on minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Murayama has held prominent positions in more than 20 professional societies and organizations, including the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, American College of Surgeons (Fellow), Association for Academic Surgery and the Southwestern Surgical Congress. He has also served as a reviewer for six surgical journals.