UA Department of Surgery Recruits Dr. Taylor Riall as Chief of General Surgery/Surgical Oncology

June 29, 2015

Dr. Taylor S. RiallTaylor S. Riall, MD, PhD, a surgical oncologist specializing in pancreaticobiliary disease (complex disorders of the pancreas and bile ducts) has been named chief of the Division of General Surgery/Surgical Oncology in the University of Arizona Department of Surgery. She is internationally known for her work on comparative effectiveness (research comparing different treatments to understand the right treatment, for the right patient, in the right setting) and patient-centered cancer and general surgery outcomes. Dr. Riall will join the department Oct. 1.

Dr. Riall is coming to the UA from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, where she is the John Sealy Distinguished Chair in Clinical Research and the director of the Center for Comparative Effectiveness and Outcomes.

We are extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Riall to the University of Arizona College of Medicine and Banner University Medicine said Leigh Neumayer, MD, professor and chair of the UA Department of Surgery. 'she brings a wealth of expertise and experience in decreasing variation in approaches to treatments and thus improving outcomes. Her leadership will position the Division of General Surgery to transition to a model of evidence-based, personalized health care delivery. Dr. Riall will direct the largest division in the Department of Surgery that is the core of our medical education and surgical training missions, and especially serves a vital role in our ability to provide the highest quality care to the patients of Southern Arizona who need our services

Joe G.N. 'skip Garcia, MD, UA senior vice president for health sciences, added, Dr. Riall's recruitment is consistent with the steep growth trajectory of the Department of Surgery. She brings unique strengths and a proven track record of interdisciplinary research that aligns well with institutional objectives, including collaborations on health disparities research with Dr. Elizabeth Calhoun, associate vice president for population health sciences and executive director of the Center for Population Science and Discovery at the Arizona Health Sciences Center

After graduating with highest honors from Rutgers University, Dr. Riall earned her medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she also completed her general surgery residency and hepato-pancreatobiliary fellowship with Dr. John Cameron.

She joined the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, quickly rising through the academic ranks from assistant to full professor and serving as assistant program director for the UTMB general surgery residency program. During her 10-year tenure at UTMB, she obtained a doctorate in clinical science from UTMB and a Graduate Certificate in Health Care Management from Rice University. Dr. Riall also recently completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Fellowship through Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Dr. Riall currently is training in executive coaching through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Her goal is to apply these skills within the medical environment to create a culture in which consistently high performance is everyone's goal. By introducing and coaching faculty in the practice of mindfulness, engagement and emotional intelligence, she will assist members of the department in achieving their highest potential.

The coauthor of more than 120 peer-reviewed publications and 20 book chapters, Dr. Riall is a member of the American Surgical Association and serves on the executive council of the Society of University Surgeons, the Board of Trustees of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract and the American College of Surgeons Board of Governors. She also serves on the editorial boards of the Annals of Surgery, Journal of GI Surgery and Surgery.

She has won numerous awards for her clinical and research achievements and for mentoring students, residents and faculty. She has been listed as a Top Doctor by several publications, including U.S. News & World Report.