Meet your General surgery staff at VA Boston health care

Meet our Surgeons

Dr. Kamal MF Itani is board certified in general surgery and is Chief of Surgical Services at VA Boston Health Care System and is a Professor of Surgery at Boston University

Medical School: American University of Beirut, MD 1985
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine, 1993
Fellowship:  Duke University, Research Fellowship in gastrointestinal physiology 1988 and Baylor College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Surgery 1994
Board Certification: N/A

Dr. Itani has a broad general surgery practice with a clinical interest in abdominal core health, hernia surgery and complex abdominal wall reconstructions. In his spare time,  Dr. Itani enjoys hiking, reading and travelling.

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Dr. Jason S. Gold [he / him / his / himself] is board certified in General Surgery, Chief of Surgical Oncology, and Associate Professor of Surgery Harvard Medical School (Brigham and Women's Hospital).

Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine, 1997
Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, 2004
Fellowship:  Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Surgical Oncology, 2006
Board Certification: Surgery

Dr. Gold's clinical interests include hepaticopancreaticobiliary (liver, pancreas, biliary) surgery, melanoma surgery, sarcoma surgery, surgery for gastrointestinal tumors, and colorectal surgery. In his spare time, Dr. Gold enjoys spending time with his family and exercise.

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Dr. Patrick B. O'Neal is a board-certified general surgeon with subspecialty fellowship training in endocrine surgery. He is an assistant professor with Boston University School of Medicine.

Medical School: University of Texas at Houston, M.D., 2002
Residency: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, General Surgery, 2010
Fellowship:  Brigham & Women's Hospital, Endocrine Surgery, 2011
Board Certification: Fellow of the American College of Surgeons - F.A.C.S.

Dr. O'Neal has particular interest in thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal surgery as well as hernia repair and abdominal surgery.

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Dr. Gentian Kristo is the Associate Chief of Surgery overseeing Resident Education and is an Assistant Professor of Surgery Harvard Medical School. He is board certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care

Medical School: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania

Residency Brigham and Women's Hospital

Fellowship: Brigham and Women's Hospital

Board Certification: General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care

Dr. Kristo's clinical interests include Acute Care Surgery, Surgical Critical Care, Benign and malignant colorectal disease, Neurogenic bowel, Abdominal wall hernias, Entero-cutaneous fistulae, Gallbladder disease, and Central venous access ports.  In his spare time he enjoys Spending time with family, Travelling, Hiking, Reading, Writing, Cooking, and Listening to music.

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Dr. Ann DeBord Smith [she/her/hers/], is board certified in General Surgery, Director of Bariatric Surgery, and Instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Medical School: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, MD, 2010
Residency: Brigham & Women's Hospital, General Surgery, 2018
Fellowship:  University of Massachusetts, Advanced Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, 2019
Board Certification: Board Certified in General Surgery

Dr. Smith's clinical interests include surgical treatment for Obesity and Reflux disease as well as minimally invasive approaches to general surgery such as hernias and colorectal disease. In the surgeon's spare time she enjoys biking and running with her family.

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Dr. Edward Whang is Board Certified in General Surgery and is Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School

Medical School: University of Chicago, MD, 1991
Residency: UCLA Medical Center, General Surgery, 1998
Fellowship:  N/A
Board Certification: American Board of Surgery
 

Dr. Whang's clinical interests include pancreaticobiliary and general surgery.

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Meet our Advanced practice practitioners

Jennifer Moseley DNP, FNP-BC [she / her / hers / herself]is certified as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, she serves as Chief APP for Surgical Service.

Board Certification: FNP- Family Nurse Practitioner
Undergraduate School:   University of Massachusetts- Amherst, Biology- 2007.
Nursing or PA School:  University of Alabama, DNP- 2021. Regis College, MSN-2011. Regis College, BSN- 2009

Jennifer Moseley DNP, FNP-BC is a nurse practitioner with over 10 years of experience caring for surgical patients. She cares for all general surgery patients but has a particular interest in the care for the surgical oncology patient. Prior to joining the VA, she was a perioperative nurse working in the operating room for a vast array of surgical specialties.

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Patricia Soonthornprapuet, PA-C, MPH  works in general surgery and is a clinical instructor for Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Board Certification: PA-C
Undergraduate School:   St Michael's College, VT, BA in Biology 1981
Nursing or PA School:  University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Physician Assistant Program, 1984

Patricia Soonthornprapuet has been with the VA for over 30 years and is honored to care for our nations Veterans.

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Claire Stauffer, PA-C, MPH, is a board certified physician assistant in Bariatric surgery

Undergraduate School:   Boston College, BS Biology/BA English 2016
Nursing or PA School:  Tufts University School of Medicine, MMSc/MPH 2021
Board Certification: PA-C, NCCPA Board Certified Physician Assistant

Claire's clinical interests include bariatric and metabolic surgery, with research interests in preventative and lifestyle medicine and public health policy. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and running to podcasts and audiobooks along the Charles river.

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