Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In episode 33, our intrepid hosts talk to surgeon, educator, international man of mystery, possible MI6 operative, and Third Culture Kid Adrian Park, MD, FRCS (C) FACS. As a man from nowhere and everywhere, Dr. Park talks about his peripatetic upbringing, bringing advanced laparoscopy into the developing world, and how SAGES affected his career path during the early years of MIS.

Dr. Park has one of the more interesting stories of any SAGES Member. This episode is well worth your time!

• Third Culture Kid
• SAGES Go Global Initiative
• SAGES Guidelines Fellow Job Description

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In this continuation of President Episodes™, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Jenny Shao chat with the current president of the EAES, Nicole Bouvy, MD, PhD. Our intrepid podcasters cover lots of topics with Dr. Bouvy including the difference in training between the US and Europe, how surgery impacts the environment and why we need to pay attention to sustainability efforts, changes in roles of women in surgical leadership positions, and sheep. Yes, sheep.

• European Association for Endoscopic Surgery
• SAGES Sustainability in Surgical Practice

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Jenny Shao chat with Brent D. Matthews, MD, the 2025–2026 President of SAGES. We trace how he first got involved with the society and how SAGES has quietly but steadily helped shape his surgical career from fellowship(s) to his presidency!

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Dr. Jenny Shao talk to the one and only, the man, the myth, the legend: Manabu Yamamoto, MD. The founder of SAGES Far East and co-writer of “We Are The World, We Are The SAGES” joins us and talks about, well, just about everything. We cover early language acquisition, SAGES in the 80s, being one of the first Japanese SAGES members, how song bridged a gap and helped launch a career, and much, much more. This is an episode you will want to bookmark and save. Dr. Yamamoto is a singular personality within SAGES and has one of the best stories we’ve heard to date.

Editor’s Note: We apologize for the audio quality on this one. We were recording live at the 2025 SAGES Meeting and the microphone was not the best. The quality improves about three minutes in but because of the directional nature, when two people talked at once or when there was laughter (which was often), the sound faded out a bit.

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Dr. Jenny Shao talk to the one and only doyenne of SAGES – Executive Director Sallie Matthews.

Sallie shares stories about how she got into the Executive Directoring business, how SAGES has transformed over the years, and what it means to be a successful woman in the field of surgery. This is not our typical podcast but it’s interesting, heartfelt, and inspiring. LISTEN!

Links from the pod:

• SAGES 2025 Meeting
• A Conversation With Sallie Matthews, Director of SAGES for 25 Years

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Dr. Jenny Shao talk to one of the most fascinating surgeons around: James “Butch” Rosser, MD. Butch is a surgeon, a patient, a top-notch educator, the originator of the Top Gun contest, the catalyst behind the SAGES Mini Med School, and so much more. We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Links from the pod:

• SAGES 2025 Meeting
• Mini Med School

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

This. Is. Huge. The biggest episode we’ve tried to do. The biggest episode we’ve ever done! Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR, FOUR PAST PRESIDENTS on one podcast. (ah ah ah)

In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and new co-host Dr. Jenny Shao talk to Past SAGES Presidents Drs. Hoarcio Asbun, Liane Feldman, John Mellinger, and Pat Sylla all about SAGES, their respective paths to the presidency and the impact of the Society on surgery.

Links from the pod:

• Episode 1 – Horacio Asbun, MD
• Episode 2 – Liane Feldman, MD
• Episode 5 – John Mellinger, MD
• Episode 9 – Patricia Sylla, MD

Welcome to the SAGES Stories Podcast!

In episode 26, we experience something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Let’s see if you can figure out to who/what each of the above applies!

In this episode, Drs. Kevin El-Hayek and Archana Ramaswamy talk to Dr. Jenny Shao about podcasting in general, finding one’s path in surgery, and much more plus a HUGE announcement. There’s also a special gift for Dr. Ramaswamy at the very end of the episode…

Links from the pod:

• SAGES 2025 Annual Meeting
• SAGES Stories Episode 7