Physicians

Kent Van Sickle, M.D.

Professor and Chief

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Van Sickle received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee in 1994 and completed his surgical residency training at Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta, GA and New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC. He went into private practice in general surgery for four years in Anderson, SC before returning to academics in 2003 to complete a two-year fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopy and GI Surgery at Emory University Hospital. Dr. Van Sickle joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio in Sept. 2005 and is a Professor of Surgery and Division Chief of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery. Dr. Van Sickle has consistently been selected as one of San Antonio’s best surgeons by his peers and by his patients.

Kenneth R. Sirinek, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor & Vice Chairman for Academic Affairs and Professional Development | J.B. Aust, M.D., Ph.D. Chair for Surgery

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Sirinek has been a part of UT Health San Antonio for over 40 years. He received his medical degree from Marquette University School of Medicine. He then completed his General Surgery Residency at Ohio State University with Dr. Robert M. Zollinger. During this time, Dr. Sirinek was actively involved in basic and clinical GI physiology research and enrolled in graduate school, culminating in a doctoral degree in Physiology. He then served in the U.S. Army as a Major, MC, at the Burn Unit (Institute for Surgical Research) at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, under Dr. Basil A. Pruitt.

Since being recruited by the first Chairman of Surgery, Dr. J. Bradley Aust, he has spent his entire academic and clinical career at UT Health San Antonio. He is presently Professor of Surgery, Vice Chairman for Academic Affairs and Professional Development and J.B. Aust, M.D., Ph.D., Chair in Surgery. Dr. Sirinek served as Chief of the Division of General and Laparoendoscopic Surgery from 2001-2010. Prior to this, he also served as the General Surgery Residency Program Director for sixteen years.

His areas of expertise include complex procedures on the liver, biliary tract and pancreas, including the Whipple procedure. He has performed over 5000 cholecystectomies, primarily (99.5%) by the laparoscopic technique since 1991. In conjunction with plastic surgery and a wound care clinic, he has developed a large referral base for the treatment of patients with complicated abdominal wounds, incisional hernias, and enterocutaneous fistulas. Dr. Sirinek has published over 200 book chapters, journal articles and abstracts. His areas of research have included: the role of gastrointestinal hormones in disease states including peptic ulcer, cirrhosis, and morbid obesity; the pharmacologic control and surgical management of portal hypertension; the physiological effects of laparoscopy; management of patients with complicated diverticulitis; the treatment of complicated biliary tract disease; and the use of both permanent and biologic mesh in the repair of complicated abdominal wall hernias. Honors awarded him include listings in Best Doctors in America, Who’s Who, Texas Super Doctors, and Top Doctors in San Antonio. He recently completed six years of service on the American College of Surgeons Board of Governors and has been an examiner for the American Board of Surgery for 20 years.

Wayne H. Schwesinger, M.D.

Professor

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Wayne H. Schwesinger, M.D., is a native of Tacoma, Washington and a graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. After a tour of duty in the United States Air Force he completed his training in general surgery and gastroenterology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He is currently a Professor of Surgery and the director of surgical endoscopy. He is a member of 17 professional organizations. His clinical and research interests include biliary and diverticular disease. Over the past decade, Dr. Schwesinger has repeatedly been chosen as the surgeon other physicians would choose for themselves as well as for their own families.

Wayne Schwesinger, MD, Professor of Surgery (Division of General & Laparoendoscopic Surgery), received the Clinical Excellence Award on January 31, 2008. This award recognized Dr. Schwesinger’s superlative clinical service here at UT Health San Antonio and in the San Antonio community.

Richard M. Peterson, M.D., MPH

Professor | Chief, UT Health San Antonio Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery | Director, UT Center for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Richard Peterson obtained his Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in biology from the University of California, Riverside. He then went on to obtain a Masters in Public Health (MPH) at the East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, PA. He obtained his M.D. degree from the American University of the Caribbean. He completed his General Surgery residency at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He then went on to pursue a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Southern California. This training has made him one of a select few surgeons who perform a completely hand-sewn laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Following the completion of his training, he entered into Active Duty service with the United States Air Force. He served two combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Peterson served as Chief of Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He expanded the program to be the largest bariatric surgery program in the Department of Defense. He also served as the Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General on Bariatrics during this time. Dr. Peterson has consistently been selected by his fellow physicians as one of San Antonio’s Best Doctors. Dr. Peterson serves as the Chief of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery for UT Health San Antonio and is the medical director of the Christus Weight Loss Institute at Westover Hills. Dr. Peterson is very active in bariatric surgery clinically and academically. He is a past president of the Texas Association for Bariatric Surgery (TABS) and has chaired several committees for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) including the Public Education Committee and the Communications Committee. He moderates and runs the largest online bariatric journal club on Facebook and serves as the Social Media Editor for Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD), the official journal of the ASMBS.

Dr. Peterson has authored several textbook chapters on bariatric surgery, has published many peer-reviewed articles and has presented nationally and internationally on bariatric surgery. He is a contributing author to the accreditation standards manual for bariatric surgery and serves as a national site surveyor for bariatric surgery center accreditation. Dr. Peterson is fluent in Spanish, enjoys running and resides in San Antonio with his wife and two children.

Patrick Nguyen, M.D.

Associate Professor

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Nguyen graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Microbiology in 2000. He completed medical school in San Antonio in 2004 and his five years of General Surgery Training in San Antonio in June 2009. Dr. Nguyen was awarded numerous teaching awards during his training and joined the faculty upon completion of training.

As an Associate Professor in Surgery, he has led the expansion of the General Surgery Service at UT Health Westover Hills, the site one of our satellite multidisciplinary practice. He serves in a number of leadership roles to include Chief of Surgical Services at Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills and Director of the Surgery Clerkship for the School of Medicine. Dr. Nguyen is fluent in French, Vietnamese, and some Spanish.

Alicia J. Logue, M.D., FACS

Assistant Professor | Associate Residency Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Logue attended undergraduate at Auburn University, where she earned a B.S. in Chemistry. She attended medical school at the University of South Alabama and completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Logue arrived in San Antonio in 2008 to participate in the minimally invasive fellowship at UT Health San Antonio and subsequently joined the faculty.

In 2012, she decided to pursue a fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery and trained with the Orlando Health program, which she completed in 2013. She is board certified in both general and colorectal surgery, holding the distinction of scoring in the top 5 nationally on the colon and rectal qualifying examination. Dr. Logue has clinical privileges at University Hospital and Christus Santa Rosa where she performs a variety of inpatient and outpatient procedures.

Dr. Logue’s special interests include colon, rectal, and anal Crohn’s Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, diseases related to human papillomavirus, and benign anorectal conditions (hemorrhoids, fistula, fissures, and dermatologic conditions.) Another cause in which Dr. Logue is enthusiastic about and is actively involved is resident & physician wellness. She is excited to have joined the institution wellness committee in 2018 and hopes to bring these skills to serve her trainees and colleagues. Dr. Logue herself had major intestinal surgery years ago so offers not only her professional expertise but also a unique empathy that comes from having a patient’s perspective. She works closely with the UT Health San Antonio medical students, physician assistant students, and surgery residents and has been awarded numerous teaching awards from them.

Haisar E Dao, M.D., FACS, FASCRS,

Assistant Professor

General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Dao received his medical degree from the University of Carabobo, in Valencia, Venezuela. After finishing a year of internship in an underserved area of the country, he started General Surgery residency at Hospital Miguel Perez Carreno, one of busiest academic centers in Caracas. Upon completion of his training, he relocated to the United States where he joined St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston, MA, a Tufts University-affiliated hospital, and completed his General Surgery training in the US. This was followed by a residency in Colon and Rectal surgery at Brown University in Providence, RI.

Dr. Dao joined UT Health San Antonio in September 2016. He is board certified in both general and colorectal surgery. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His special interest includes inflammatory bowel disease, carcinomas of the colon and rectum, diverticular disease, benign anorectal conditions, and minimally invasive/robotic surgery. Dr. Dao is fluent in Spanish and resides in San Antonio with his wife and children.

Jason W. Kempenich, M.D., FACS

Assistant Professor | Associate Residency Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program

Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Kempenich received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2007 and completed his surgical residency training here at the UT Health San Antonio. Following the completion of his training, he entered into Active Duty service with the United States Air Force. He served one combat tour in support of the Global War on Terrorism. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Kempenich served as the Associate Program Director for the general surgery residency at Keesler Medical Center. Upon completion of his Active Duty commitment, he joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio in July 2016. His clinical interests include the surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease, hernia, gastrointestinal disease as well as the surgical management of obesity. He also has a significant interest in surgical education research.

Molly Hartmann, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Dr. Hartmann received her medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2011 and completed her surgical resident training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2012 and Creighton University of Medicine in 2018. She joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio in November 2018.

Nurse Practitioners

Katherine O’Donnell, DNP APRN FNP –BC

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse | Specialist

Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Katherine O’Donnell received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of San Francisco in 1978. She completed her family nurse practitioner training and master’s degree in nursing at Fresno State University, California in 1992, and her doctorate of nursing practice at Loma Linda University in 2013. She completed a post master’s certification as a women’s health practitioner, at the University of Texas, Southwestern, in Dallas in 2000. She worked for the University Health system for 10 years in primary care before she joined the UT Health San Antonio faculty in 2005. She currently works in the Division of General and minimally invasive surgery. She was an instructor in the graduate nursing program at UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing.

Maggie Eastridge, MSN, AGCNS-BC, APRN

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse | Specialist

Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Ms. Eastridge graduated from a Diploma Nursing Program at St. Lawrence College in Brockville, Ontario Canada in 1990, received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2008, and graduated with high honors (4.0 average) in 2014 with her Master of Nursing Science Degree as a Clinical Nurse Specialist from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. She then earned her Board of Certification for Advanced Practice through the American Nurse’s Credentialing Center.

She has over 20 years of experience in the specialties of Med/Surg, Telemetry, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Traum, and Critical Care. She has previously worked as a registered staff nurse in both the Cardiothoracic ICU at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and in the Trauma ICU at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

Prior to joining the Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery here at UT Health San Antonio, Ms. Eastridge previously worked as an Advanced Practice Nurse in Family Practice. Since joining the Department of Surgery at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio in 2015 she has actively participated in several published research studies involving patients who have gastroparesis. In addition to General Surgery, Ms. Eastridge is now teaching the UT Health Surgical Weight Loss Pre-Operative Class and is also seeing pre and post-op surgical weight loss patients in our newly combined Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Department of Surgery.

Ms. Eastridge is a member of Sigma Theta Tau (the National Nursing Honor Society), the National Society of Leadership and Success, the Texas Nurse’s Association, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

Additional Adjunct Faculty

Michael Cardenas, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
Southwestern Medical School, 1983

Jay Cheek, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
University of Texas Medical Branch, 2007

Brad Gurwitz, M.D., Adjunct Associate Professor
University of Texas Medical Branch, 1990

Mark Hickman, M.D., Adjunct Professor
University of Texas Medical Branch, 1979

Travis Holloway, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
UT Health Science Center San Antonio, 2009

Jaime Mayoral, M.D., Adjunct Associate Professor
University of Minnesota Medical School, 1985

George Mimari, M.D., Adjunct Professor
University of Texas Medical Branch, 1973

Michael Nicholl, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
Hahnemann University School of Medicine, 1999

Jon Pelzl, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, 2005

Randall Rogers, M.D., Adjunct Associate Professor
UT Health Science Center San Antonio, 1977

Raul Ramos, M.D., Adjunct Professor
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico, 1966

Thomas Shary, M.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 2008

Jay Stauffer, M.D., Adjunct Associate Professor
UT Health Science Center San Antonio, 1987

Daniel Vargas, M.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor
University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 2003

Sarah Weakley, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 2007

Russell Woodard, M.D., Adjunct Professor
University of Tennessee College of Medicine, 1988

Clinical Adjunct VA Faculty

Brian Perry, M.D., Adjunct Professor
Duke University School of Medicine, 1990
General and Minimally Invasive Surgery