Colon & Rectal Surgery Program
Welcome from the Program Director
Thank you for your interest in Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando’s program in Colon & Rectal Surgery.
The Colon & Rectal program is under the umbrella of the sponsoring institution, Orlando Health, but is based at the private practice of the Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando. The program was founded in 1990 and has maintained full accreditation from the ACGME Residency Review Committee (RRC) for Colon and Rectal Surgery.
The Colon & Rectal training program offers the most innovative surgical care and techniques in the area of colon and rectal surgery to improve the quality of life for patients with any condition affecting the colon, small bowel, rectum, or anus. Our colorectal training program includes in-depth knowledge of all aspects of anorectal and colorectal disease including but not limited to office practice, hospital rounds, outpatient surgery, major abdominal surgery, endoscopic procedures, and anorectal physiology.
Our physicians specialize in minimally invasive approaches for colon and rectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease using single port laparoscopic surgery (SILS), hand assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS), as well as robotic procedures. In addition, our specialists are experts in lower endoscopy screening procedures and endoscopic removal of complicated polyps, eliminating the need for surgical intervention. The teaching focus is also on advanced specialized training to evaluate functional disorders of the anal sphincter, rectum and pelvic floor. An anal physiology lab has been established at the CRC that includes evaluations of anal manometry, EMG, defecography, colonic transit studies and therapeutic modalities including biofeedback with an on-site therapist. Exposure to rectal and anal endosonography is available.
I hope you find our web site informative. Thank you for considering our program.
Paul R. Williamson, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Program Director
Colon & Rectal Program
Training
Primary full-time teaching responsibilities are shared by attending physicians Paul R. Williamson, M.D., Andrea Ferrara, M.D., Joseph Gallagher, M.D., Samuel DeJesus, M.D and Rene Mueller, M.D., Mark Soliman, M.D., and Thomas Blake, M.D. All faculty members are board certified or board eligible in the specialty of colon and rectal surgery. Residents participate directly in surgical cases at Orlando Health and Florida Hospital under the immediate direction and supervision of their assigned attending for the month.
There is protected time for didactic conferences specifically tailored to the education of the residents, which include core curriculum lectures, clinical decision making conference, morbidity and mortality conferences, research meetings, pelvic floor conference, colorectal cancer case management tumor board, grand rounds, and journal club.
Rotations are delineated by the residents assigned faculty member rather than by institution. The resident rotation functions as a preceptorship with their assigned attending who provide adequate supervision of the residents’ activities. Residents are scheduled to see office patients on an average of twelve hours per week based on their assigned attendings patient office schedule.
Faculty
Paul R. Williamson, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Program Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. Williamson is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. He is a managing partner at the Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wake Forest University and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 1997. After receiving his medical degree from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, he served his General Surgery residency at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Dr. Williamson completed his fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Carle Clinic Foundation in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. During his training, he also served a clinical internship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
He currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Central Florida, Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Florida State University, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at University of South Florida, College of Medicine.
Dr. Williamson is the co-section leader for Surgical Oncology and Section leader for Department of Colon & Rectal Surgery for Orlando Health Cancer Institute (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center of Orlando).
Andrea Ferrara, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Associate Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. Ferrara is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. He is the Program Director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Orlando Regional Healthcare System. He received his medical degree from the University of Rome. He trained in General Surgery at the State University of New York in New York City and at the Yale University Surgical program in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He served for two years as a Fellow in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. One year at the Mayo Clinic was devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction with particular attention in incontinence, chronic constipation, and biofeedback treatment. Dr. Ferrara has participated in a number of research projects, both at the Mayo Clinic and at Yale University. He was clinical instructor at the State University of New York and is currently a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Florida, College of Medicine. Dr. Ferrara is a consultant surgeon of the Colon & Rectal Cancer Specialty for Orlando Health Cancer Institute (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center of Orlando) and Florida Hospital Cancer Institute.
Dr. Ferrara specializes in laparoscopic assisted resection for benign and malignant colorectal disease, and surgical treatment for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. He is the Director of the Anorectal Physiology Laboratory dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of fecal incontinence and chronic constipation with surgery and biofeedback.
Dr. Ferrara is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Joseph T. Gallagher, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Associate Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. Gallagher is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a double major in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering. He received his medical Degree from UHS / The Chicago Medical School, and was elected AOA. He holds a Master’s in Psychology. He completed his General Surgery residency at the University of Florida, School of Medicine, and Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Gallagher completed his fellowship in Colon & Rectal Surgery through Orlando Regional Healthcare System’s Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando in Orlando, Florida. He is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Florida, college of Medicine. Dr. Gallagher is a consultant surgeon of the Colon & Rectal Specialty for Orlando Health Cancer Institute (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center of Orlando) and Florida Hospital Cancer Institute.
Dr. Gallagher specializes in laparoscopic-assisted colon surgery for benign and malignant disease, anal physiology testing for chronic constipation, and fecal incontinence. He also specializes in anal rectal ultrasound, sphincter saving techniques for rectal cancer and surgery for inflammatory bowel disease.
Dr. Gallagher is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Samuel DeJesus, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Associate Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. DeJesus is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. He received his Medical Degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, New Jersey. He trained in General Surgery at Saint Vincent's Medical Center, New York Medical College in New York, New York. He was a Clinical Instructor in Surgery at New York Medical College. Dr. DeJesus completed his fellowship in Colon & Rectal Surgery through Orlando Regional Healthcare System’s Colon and Rectal Clinic of Orlando in Orlando, Florida. He is a consultant surgeon of the Colon & Rectal Specialty for Orlando Health Cancer Institute (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center of Orlando) and Florida Hospital Cancer Institute. He is currently a Board Member of the American Cancer Society.
Dr. DeJesus’s special interests include: Laparoscopic-assisted colon resection, surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, disease related to the anus, colonoscopy for cancer screening and endorectal ultrasound.
Dr. Gallagher is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Renee Mueller, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Associate Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. Mueller is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. She received her medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where she also completed a general surgery residency. Dr. Mueller completed her fellowship in Colon & Rectal Surgery through Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. She is a an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Central Florida, School of Medicine, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Florida State University, College of Medicine and University of South Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Mueller is a consultant surgeon of the Colon & Rectal Specialty for Orlando Health Cancer Institute (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center of Orlando) and Florida Hospital Cancer Institute. He is currently a Board Member of the American Cancer Society.
Dr. Mueller specializes in laparoscopic-assisted colon surgery for benign and malignant disease, anal physiology testing for chronic constipation, and fecal incontinence. She also specializes in anal rectal ultrasound, sphincter saving techniques for rectal cancer and surgery for inflammatory bowel disease.
Dr. Mueller is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Mark Soliman, M.D.
Associate Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. Soliman is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. He attended the University of Florida and was a part of the Junior Honors Medical Program, graduating with his Bachelors and Medical Degrees by the age of 23 as magna cum laude. He did his surgical residency at Baptist Health in Birmingham, Alabama and completed his fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Colon and Rectal Clinic of Orlando.
Dr. Soliman is a consultant surgeon of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute and the Colon & Rectal Specialty for Orlando Health Cancer Institute (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center of Orlando). He practices primarily in Altamonte Springs, Florida.
Dr. Soliman specializes in advanced robotic as well as laparoscopic colon surgery for benign and malignant disease, and evolving techniques in transanal minimally invasive surgery for sphincter preservation. He serves on the Robotics Steering Committee at Florida Hospital Altamonte, and additionally specializes in anal physiologic testing for chronic constipation, fecal incontinence, anorectal ultrasound, sphincter saving techniques for rectal cancer and surgery for inflammatory bowel disease.
In his spare time, Dr. Soliman enjoys life with his wife, daughter and son, is an avid photographer, and is very active in his church.
Thomas B. Blake, M.D., III, FACS, FASCRS
Faculty, Colon & Rectal Program
Orlando Health / Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
Dr. Blake is Board Certified by both the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1976. He attended the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama where he obtained his degree in medicine. He completed his General Surgery residency at St. Agnes Hospital associated with John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. After being in private practice for 3 years, he did additional training and completed his fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Colon and Rectal Clinic of Orlando and Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Blake served as Chairman of the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery for Florida Hospital from 2011-2014. He has been rated as one of Orlando’s top doctors as well as by Castle Connolly to be one of the top doctors in the country for Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Salary and Benefits
We provide competitive salary and benefits. To learn more about salary and benefits for Orlando Health residents, please view our Graduate Medical Education Resident/Fellow Benefits and Conditions of Appointment document.
Application Information
Applications are submitted through The Electronic Residency Application Service – ERAS®. This is a service that transmits applications, letters of recommendation, Dean’s Letters/MSPE, transcripts and other supporting credentials from applicants and medical schools to residency programs using the Internet via www.aamc.org. The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery requests a completed online application including, a personal statement, curriculum vitae, copy of medical diploma, ECFMG certification, USMLE/ABSITE scores, and three (3) letters of recommendation including your program director.
The Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando will begin accepting online applications beginning July 1 through our deadline of August 30. Our faculty will review all applications and extend invitations to interview for selected applicants.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact:
Paul R. Williamson, M.D.
Program Director, Colon & Rectal Program
Nancy Joiner
Administrator, Education and Research
Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
[email protected]
407-422-3790 x 3021
Colon & Rectal Clinic of Orlando
110 W. Underwood St. Suite A
Orlando, FL 32806
