Jorge Zarate Rodriguez, MD
Department of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Division of Surgery
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Colon & Rectal Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Postgraduate Training
| 2025-2026 | Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, New York |
| 2020-2022 | Research Fellowship, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri |
| 2019-2025 | General Surgery Residency, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis, Missouri |
| 2018-2019 | General Surgery Internship, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis, Missouri |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2026 | Texas Medical Board |
| 2026 | American Board of Surgery |
Experience & Service
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Washington University General Surgery Residency Program Evaluation Committee, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 - 2024
Member, Washington University General Surgery Residency Curriculum Committee, Washington University Medical Center, 2020 - 2022
Editorial Activities
Podcast Editor, Washington University Manual of Surgery, 2023 - 2025
Resident Editor, Washington University Manual of Surgery, 2022 - 2023
Honors & Awards
| 2026 - Present | Reviewer’s Guild, Diseases of the Colon & Rectum |
| 2024 - Present | Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society, Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society |
| 2023 - Present | 2nd Place Surgery Paper Competition, Missouri Chapter American College of Surgeons |
| 2022 - Present | 1st Place Abstract, American Society for Enhanced Recovery |
| 2022 - Present | Resident Teaching Award, Washington University Department of Surgery |
| 2021 - Present | Samuel Wells Resident Research Competition Winner, Washington University Dept. of Surgery |
| 2021 - Present | Residents & Fellows Diversity Initiative, Barnes-Jewish Hospital |
| 2021 - Present | Resident Teaching Award, Washington University Department of Surgery |
| 2021 - Present | Underrepresented in Medicine Travel Grant, Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association |
| 2021 - Present | Big Ideas Grant, WUSM/BJC HealthCare |
| 2020 - Present | Education and Training Development Grant, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center |
| 2018 - Present | Louis and Dorothy Kovitz Senior Prize in Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine |
| 2018 - Present | Global Health & Medicine Jonathan Mann International Elective Fellowship, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine |
| 2017 - Present | American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress Travel Award, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine |
| 2017 - Present | Disparities Interest Group Student Essay Contest Winner, Academy Health |
| 2017 - Present | 2nd Place Clinical Vignette Poster, American College of Physicians Missouri Chapter |
| 2016 - Present | Steven Dresler Prize for social good and volunteerism, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine |
| 2016 - Present | Dr. Frank O. Richards Medical Student Scholarship Prize, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine |
| 2014 - Present | Honors Scholar Founders’ Day Award, New York University (NYU) |
| 2014 - 2018 | Distinguished Faculty Scholar, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine |
| 2013 - Present | Undergraduate Research Summer Funding Award, New York University Abu Dhabi |
| 2013 - Present | Annual President’s Service Award, New York University |
| 2013 - Present | Undergraduate Research Conference Best Presentation in Health & Development, New York University |
| 2012 - Present | Summer Undergraduate Research Program Grant, NYU School of Medicine |
| 2010 - 2014 | NYU Abu Dhabi Fellowship, New York University Abu Dhabi |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Lund S, Santucci NM, Zarate Rodriguez J, Naaseh A, Khan S, Luo X, Hunt ML, Silvestri C, Gan CY, L'Huillier JC, Hight R, Hudson J, Hendershot K, Calata J, Wang ML, Alseidi A, Jindani R, Williams-Perez S, Foster T, Woodward JM. Message Received? Applicant Insights on Preference Signals in General Surgery Residency Recruitment. J Surg Educ 83(9):104096, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42501646.
- Santucci NM, Wang ML, Woodward JM, Gan CY, Silvestri C, Hudson J, Hight R, Naaseh A, Hunt ML, Hendershot K, Zarate Rodriguez J, Luo X, Khan S, Alseidi A, Jindani R, Calata J, Williams-Perez S, Foster T, Lund S. Advising Through the Noise: Medical Student Advisor Perspectives on How Preference Signals Have Influenced Surgical Residency Recruitment. J Surg Educ 83(9):104060, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42424995.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Zivanov CN, Yee J, Badic A, Kopar PK, Wise PE, Mutch MG, Silviera ML, Chapman WC Jr, Ohman KA. Understanding patient and surgeon attitudes towards informed consent for sensitive intraoperative exams in colorectal surgery. Am J Surg 252:116765, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41380421.
- Zarate Rodriguez J, Yee J, Czako S, Wang D, Izadi L, Donald C, Yu J, Wise PE. Understanding How General Surgery Applicants Use the "Impactful Experiences" Field in Their Residency Applications. J Surg Educ 82(12):103733, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41093690.
- Sathe SV, Huang Y, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Cos H, Cook J, Koenen M, Chapman WC, Kozower BD, Fields RC, Sanford DE. The benefits of a department-wide prehabilitation program: A propensity score match analysis. Surgery 184:109489, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40513208.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Naaseh A, Caldwell KE, Hedge J, Cabral RR, Duncan JG, Wise PE. Promoting Surgical Resident Well-being Through Therapist-Facilitated Discussion Groups: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis. J Surg Educ 81(11):1798-1806, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39321696.
- L'Huillier JC, Woodward JM, Lund S, Gan CY, Moreci R, Silvestri C, Brian R, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Roshal J, White BAA. Is it gossip or feedback? Surgical attendings' perceptions of gossip within residency. J Surg Educ 81(10):1362-1373, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39173427.
- Smink DS, Ortega G, Dacier BM, Petrusa ER, Chen YJ, Shaikh NQ, Allar BG, Chun MBJ, Green AR, Caldwell KE, Atkinson RB, Reidy E, Olufajo OA, Britt LD, Brittain MA, Zarate Rodriguez J, Swoboda SM, Cornwell EE, Lynch KA, Wise PE, Harrington DT, Kent TS, Mullen JT, Lipsett PA, Haider AH. A Randomized Crossover Trial Evaluating the Impact of Cultural Dexterity Training on Surgical Residents' Knowledge, Cross-Cultural Care, Skills, and Beliefs: The Provider Awareness and Cultural Dexterity Training for Surgeons (PACTS) Trial. Ann Surg 280(3):403-413, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38921829.
- Woodward JM, Lund S, Brian R, Anand A, Moreci R, Navarro SM, Zarate Rodriguez J, Naaseh A, Tate K, Roshal J, Silvestri C, Gan CY, Sathe T, Thornton SW, Cloonan M, Weaver L, Oh MH, Godley F, L'Huillier JC. Find Your Perfect Match for Surgical Residency: Six Steps to Building your BRANDD from the Collaboration of Surgical Education Fellows. Ann Surg Open 5(3):e466, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39310337.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Hammill CW. Race Affects Patients' Likelihood of Being Offered Surgical Resection for Small Bowel Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Ann Surg Oncol 31(5):3261-3262, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38361093.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Raper L, Sanford DE, Trikalinos NA, Hammill CW. Race and Odds of Surgery Offer in Small Bowel and Pancreas Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Ann Surg Oncol 31(5):3249-3260, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38294612.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Awad MM. Distance travelled: The road remains unclear. Med Educ 58(2):172-173, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37973610.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Caldwell KE, Donald CM, Wise PE, Awad MM. Preference Signaling for General Surgery Residency: How Should Applicants Use Signaling?. J Surg Res 293:580-586, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37832310.
- Naaseh A, Zarate Rodriguez JG, McHale MJ, Niziolek GM, Ngo TH, Kirby JP, Kranker LM. Use of barium for diagnosis of colonic perforation leads to challenging barium peritonitis. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 9(1):e001431, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38616790.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Cos H, Srivastava R, Bewley A, Raper L, Li D, Dai R, Williams GA, Fields RC, Hawkins WG, Lu C, Sanford DE, Hammill CW. Preoperative levels of physical activity can be increased in pancreatectomy patients via a remotely monitored, telephone-based intervention: A randomized trial. Surg Pract Sci 15:100212, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 39844811.
- Pothuri V, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Kasting C, Leigh N, Hawkins WG, Sanford DE, Fields RC. Area deprivation and rurality impact overall survival and adjuvant therapy administration in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). HPB (Oxford) 25(12):1545-1554, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37626007.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Cos H, Koenen M, Cook J, Kasting C, Raper L, Guthrie T, Strasberg SM, Hawkins WG, Hammill CW, Fields RC, Chapman WC, Eberlein TJ, Kozower BD, Sanford DE. Impact of Prehabilitation on Postoperative Mortality and the Need for Non-Home Discharge in High-Risk Surgical Patients. J Am Coll Surg 237(3):558-567, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37204138.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Gan C, Williams GA, Drake TO, Ciesielski T, Sanford DE, Awad MM. Video Interviews and Surgical Applicants' Ability to Assess Fit to Residency Programs. J Surg Res 287:149-159, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36933546.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Chapman WC Jr, Sanford DE, Hammill CW, Wise PE, Smith RK, Glasgow SC, Silviera ML. Social vulnerability is associated with more stomas after surgery for uncomplicated diverticulitis. Surg Pract Sci 13:100167, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 39845383.
- Ladd AD, Zarate Rodriguez J, Lewis D, Warren C, Duarte S, Loftus TJ, Nassour I, Soma D, Hughes SJ, Hammill CW, Zarrinpar A. Low vs Standard-Dose Indocyanine Green in the Identification of Biliary Anatomy Using Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Coll Surg 236(4):711-717, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36728303.
- Zarate Rodriguez J, Edgley C, Lee S, Leigh N, Wolfe R, Sanford D, Hammill C. Preoperative transversus abdominis plane block decreases intraoperative opiate consumption during minimally invasive cholecystectomy. Surg Endosc 37(3):2209-2214, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 35864354.
- Cos H, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Srivastava R, Bewley A, Raper L, Li D, Dai R, Williams GA, Fields RC, Hawkins WG, Lu C, Sanford DE, Hammill CW. 4,300 steps per day prior to surgery are associated with improved outcomes after pancreatectomy. HPB (Oxford) 25(1):91-99, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36272956.
- Yang Z, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Beck H, Byrnes K, Trikalinos NA, Hammill CW. Acinar cell carcinoma with PRKAR1A and PTEN alterations and paraneoplastic panniculitis. BMJ Case Rep 15(12), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36549753.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Caldwell KE, Frances AS, Han BJ, Dimou FM, Awad MM, Sacks BC. An Analysis of Diversity Statements and Support of Special Interest Societies by General Surgery Residency Programs. J Surg Educ 79(6):e116-e123, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36068160.
- Vadhan JD, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Wallendorf M, Awad MM, White AJ. An Assessment of Pediatric Residency Applicant Perceptions of "Fit" During the Virtual Interview Era. Cureus 14(11):e31703, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36561587.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Leigh N, Edgley C, Cos H, Wolfe R, Sanford D, Hammill CW. Preoperative transversus abdominis plane block decreases intraoperative opiate use during pancreatoduodenectomy. HPB (Oxford) 24(7):1162-1167, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35012875.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Gan CY, Williams GA, Drake TO, Ciesielski T, Sanford DE, Awad MM. Applicants' perception of fit to residency programmes in the video-interview era: A large multidisciplinary survey. Med Educ 56(6):641-650, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35014076.
- Cos H, LeCompte MT, Srinivasa S, Zarate Rodriguez J, Woolsey CA, Williams G, Patel S, Khan A, Fields RC, Majella Doyle MB, Chapman WC, Strasberg SM, Hawkins WG, Hammill CW, Sanford DE. Improved outcomes with minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with dilated pancreatic ducts: a prospective study. Surg Endosc 36(5):3100-3109, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34235587.
- Caldwell KE, Zarate Rodriguez JG, Hess A, Han BJ, Awad MM, Sacks BC. Standardized oral examinations allow for assessment of medical student clinical knowledge and decrease racial grading differences in a surgery clerkship. Surgery 171(3):590-597, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34895772.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Cos H, Williams GA, Woolsey CA, Fields RC, Strasberg SM, Doyle MB, Khan AS, Chapman WC, Hammill CW, Hawkins WG, Sanford DE. Inability to manage non-severe complications on an outpatient basis increases non-white patient readmission rates after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A large metropolitan tertiary care center experience. Am J Surg 222(5):964-968, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33906729.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Hammill CW. Micro-Dosing of Indocyanine Green for Intraoperative Fluorescence Cholangiography. Surg Technol Int 38:98-101, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33724433.
Review Articles
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Ohman KA, Wise PE. Creating and Disseminating Meaningful Education Research. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 39(4):267-275, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42266632.
Other Articles
- Zhang J, Wang R, Xu Z, Liu H, Rodriguez J, Cos H, Srivastava R, Raper L, Sanford D, Chenyang Lu CHA Addressing Cohort Variability with Adaptive Fusion of Wearable and Clinical Data: A Case Study in Predicting Pancreatic Surgery Outcomes. ACM Trans Comput Healthc 7(2):1-27, 2026.
- Naaseh A, Zarate Rodriguez J, Caldwell KE, Tohmasi S, Awad MM Evolving perspectives on residency “fit”: a survey study of changes in surgery resident priorities. Global Surg Educ 4(77), 2025.
- Caldwell, K.E., Zarate Rodriguez J, JG Fox, Yaeger L, Wise PE Listen up: a systematic review of the utilization and efficacy of podcasts for medical education. Global Surg Educ 3(107), 2024.
- Ariana Naaseh MD MPHS, Joshua Roshal M, Caitlin Silvestri M, John M Woodward M, Steven W Thornton M, Joseph C L’Huillier MD MS-HPEd, Maya Hunt M, Tejas S Sathe M, Darian L Hoagland M, Frederick Godley IV MD MBA, Rajika Jindani M, Kelsey R Tieken MD MHPTT, Jorge G Zarate Rodriguez M, Ananya Anand M, Jennifer H Chen M, Sergio M Navarro M, Sarah Lund M Filter Out the Noise: How to Narrow Your Search for the Perfect Match by the Collaboration of Surgical Education Fellows (CoSEF). J Surg Educ 81(10):1394-1399, 2024.
- Rasic G, Jung S, Dechert T, Maxwell J, Zarate Rodriguez J, Kim MJ, Theodore S, Cooper AB, Sanchez SE A national survey of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in general surgery residency programs. Global Surg Educ 3(102), 2024.
- Li S, Lu D, Li S, Liu J, Xu Y, Yan Y, Rodriguez JZ, Bai H, Avila R, Kang S, Ni X, Luan H, Guo H, Bai W, Wu C, Zhou X, Hu Z, Pet MA, Hammill CW, MacEwan MR, Ray WZ, Huang Y, Rogers JA Bioresorbable, wireless, passive sensors for continuous pH measurements and early detection of gastric leakage 10(16), 2024.
- enjamin G Allar MD MPH, Gezzer Ortega MD MPH, Maria BJ Chun P, Jorge G Zarate Rodriguez M, John T Mullen M, Kenneth A Lynch Jr PhD APRN-CNP CHC CPC-A, David T Harrington M, Alexander R Green MD MPH, Pamela A Lipsett MM, LD Britt MD MPH, Adil H Haider MD MPH, Douglas S Smink MD MPH, Tara S Kent MM Changing Surgical Culture Through Surgical Education: Introduction to the PACTS Trial. J Surg Educ 81(3):330-334, 2024.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Caldwell KE, Donald CM, Wise PE, Awad MM General surgery virtual residency recruitment in 2021 and 2022: lessons learned. Global Surg Educ 2(82), 2023.
- Zarate Rodriguez JG, Zihni AM, Ohu I, Cavallo JA, Ray S, Cho S, Awad MM Correction to: Ergonomic analysis of laparoscopic and robotic surgical task performance at various experience levels. Surg Endosc 36(1):852, 2022. PMID: 34807313.
Editorials
- Ortega G, Dacier BM, Zarate Rodriguez J, Chun MBJ, Udyavar NR, Allar BG, Green AR, Haider AH, Smink DS. Teaching cultural dexterity in surgical care: As essential to a surgeon's skill set as tying a knot. Am J Surg 237:115705, 2024. PMID: 38531750.
Book Chapters
- Zarate Rodriguez J, Hunt S. Colon and Rectum. In: The Washington Manual of Surgery. 9. Wolters Kluwer, 2025.
Web Publications
- Zarate Rodriguez J, Gennell T, Valbuena V. Leveraging social media platforms to create virtual communities for Latinx trainees, 2022.
- Caldwell, Zarate Rodriguez J, Wise P, Reidy E, Ortega G, Mullen J, Smink D. Improving Culturally Dexterous Care for Surgical Patients: The PACTS Trial.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 30, 2026