Foregut (Esophagus & Stomach) Program

Christy M. Dunst, MD

Melissa L. DeSouza, MD

Adrian B. Dobrowolsky, MD

Adrian Dobrowolsky, MD, FACS, FASMBS, is Director of the Bariatric Weight Loss Program at Hoag. He specializes in minimally invasive surgery for weight loss and diseases of the esophagus and stomach using laparoscopic and robotic methods. As a board-certified surgeon, Dr. Dobrowolsky has performed hundreds of bariatric surgeries throughout his career. Dr. Dobrowolsky’s areas of research interest include minimally invasive surgical techniques, revision of bariatric surgery, and foregut surgery. Dr. Dobrowolsky has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and editorials. He is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, among other professional associations. Dr. Dobrowolsky completed a minimally invasive and bariatric surgery fellowship at Keck Medical Center of USC, as well as a general surgery internship and residency at Loyola University Medical Center. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago – Stritch School of Medicine.

Katherine S. Blevins, MD

Katherine Blevins, M.D., Ph.D. is a minimally invasive surgeon (MIS) with a focus in bariatric, foregut and advanced gastrointestinal surgery. She is board certified in general surgery, and is fellowship trained in advanced GI, MIS and bariatric surgery. She holds certificates for Advanced GI MIS Surgery from SAGES, as well as the ASMBS Fellowship Certificate for Bariatric Surgery. She is skilled in both laparoscopic and robotic techniques. Dr. Blevins completed her general surgery residency training at Stanford University. During her training, she spent two years in professional development as a fellow in the Stanford Biodesign Innovation Fellowship, a project based medical technology innovation program where she was trained in medical technology innovation from idea to implementation. She completed advanced clinical training as a clinical fellow in advanced GI/MIS and Bariatric Surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, one of the highest ranked fellowship programs for GI surgery in the country. Dr. Blevins’ research interests include medical technology innovation as well as patient outcomes after bariatric surgery. She has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and has directed and collaborated with teams in many stages of medical technology innovation. Dr. Blevins attended University of California, Irvine for her undergraduate education, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering. She earned her doctorate degree in bioengineering with an emphasis in biomaterials from the University of Utah. Her dissertation focused on designing novel targeted gene delivery systems to prevent type 1 diabetes. During her Ph.D. work, she discovered her love for the translational aspects of research and chose to expand her background in clinical medicine. She attended medical school at the University of Utah where she was elected into Alpha Omega Alpha. During her clinical years, she was drawn to surgery. One of her favorite parts of surgery is the ability to work with patients to help solve their problems. Her long-term goals are to integrate clinical practice as a surgeon with advancing innovation in medical technology.

Kenneth J. Chang, MD

Executive Medical Director, Hoag Digestive Health Institute

Jennifer Phan, MD

Medical Director, Hoag Irvine Advanced Endoscopy, Director of Bariatric Endoscopy, Gastroenterologist

Ravi J. Kankotia, MD

Dr. Kankotia is a board-certified gastroenterologist at the Hoag Digestive Health Institute. His focus is in advanced endoscopic procedures, and his clinical interests include pancreaticobiliary disease, tissue resection, Barrett’s esophagus, and bariatrics. Other services offered include luminal stenting, radiofrequency ablation, endoscopic mucosal resection, esophageal pH monitoring (Bravo), liver biopsy, portal pressure measurement, and endoscopic suturing. He strives to provide his patients and their families with personalized care plans that help each patient reach their health goals. At the Hoag Digestive Health Institute, Dr. Kankotia works with a team of digestive health experts to provide a comprehensive approach to wellness. Dr. Kankotia earned his medical degree at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He completed internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at University of Southern California/LAC+USC Medical Center. He then completed an additional fellowship in advanced endoscopy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he developed expertise in ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), diagnostic and therapeutic EUS (endoscopic ultrasound), and other techniques while garnering experience managing complex cases. Dr. Kankotia is a current member of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Additionally, he has contributed to several publications on topics such as gastric cancer, biliary disease, pancreatic cysts, and luminal strictures.

Paul J. Korc, MD

Paul J. Korc, M.D. serves as medical director of the Hoag GI Lab and is a board-certified gastroenterologist with fellowship training in advanced endoscopic procedures. After completing his residency and fellowship at USC, he went on to spend a year at Indiana University, one of the nation’s top programs for biliary and pancreatic disorders. There, he received training in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), gaining extensive experience in the management of complex cases. Dr. Korc’s expertise also includes removal of large polyps and early stage cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, using endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). He spent time in Seoul, Korea learning ESD, a cutting-edge technique in which pre-cancerous lesions and superficial cancers are removed en bloc (in one piece), avoiding the need for surgery. Additionally, Dr. Korc performs peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), a specialized procedure that restores the ability to eat and drink for people with achalasia, an esophageal motility disorder. Dr. Korc brings to Hoag his expertise in these procedures, some of which are available at only a handful of medical centers in Southern California. Dr. Korc offers patients compassionate, personalized care along with the very best advances in endoscopic treatment.

Phuong T. Nguyen, MD

Medical Director of Hoag Advanced Endoscopy Center, Gastroenterologist

Hali Pham, NP-BC

Nurse Practitioner

David R. Braxton, MD

Carlos R. Becerra, MD

Medical Director of Cancer Research for Hoag Family Cancer Institute

David M. Burtzo, MD

Oncology/Hematology

Tara E. Seery, MD

<p>Tara Seery, M.D., attended University College Dublin School of Medicine followed by an internship at Mater Misericordiae Hospital as well as an internship and residency at Caritas St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston. She then completed fellowships in hematology/oncology at both Caritas St. Elizabeth Medical Center and University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Seery is board certified in Medical Oncology and Hematology.</p><p>Dr. Seery is particularly interested in GI oncology, including hepatobiliary cancers such as pancreatic, liver and bile duct cancers.</p><p>She has served as the primary investigator on several clinical research trials, co-authored numerous medical publications and abstracts, and edited multiple peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, she has given clinical presentations both across the U.S. and abroad. </p><p>Dr. Seery’s teaching experience spans the areas of medical and graduate level courses including a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Annual Lecture Series on Pancreatic Cancer, Liver Cancer and the Management of Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma at UC Irvine’s 5th Annual Gastroenterology and Hepatology Symposium. In addition, she oversaw a group of Hematology/Oncology Fellows at the University of California Irvine Outpatient Clinic.</p><p>Dr. Seery is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.</p>