Memorial Sloan Kettering Appoints Martin R. Weiser, MD, as Chair of the Department of Surgery

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) announced the appointment of Martin R. Weiser, MD, as Chair of the Department of Surgery, effective immediately.

Dr. Weiser is an internationally recognized colorectal surgeon, surgical oncologist, and clinical investigator who has served on the MSK faculty for 25 years. He most recently served as Acting Chair of the Department of Surgery and holds the Stuart H.Q. Quan Chair in Colorectal Surgery.

Throughout his career at MSK, Dr. Weiser has helped advance the field of colorectal cancer surgery through innovations in minimally invasive surgical techniques and leadership of practice-changing clinical trials. His research has contributed to improving outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer, and he has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, along with numerous book chapters and invited reviews.

A longtime institutional leader, Dr. Weiser has served as Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs in the Department of Surgery since 2012 and as President of the MSK Medical Staff from 2013 to 2015. Since 2017, he has chaired the Operating Room Executive Committee, where he played a key leadership role in coordinating surgical operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"MSK has been my professional home for more than two decades, and it is an extraordinary honor to lead a department defined by exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, and outstanding education," said Dr. Weiser. "I look forward to working alongside our talented faculty, nurses, advanced practice providers, researchers, trainees, and staff as we continue to advance surgical innovation and improve the lives of people with cancer."

Dr. Weiser earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his medical degree from the University of Chicago. He completed his general surgery residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital with research fellowship at Harvard Medical School before pursuing a fellowship in surgical oncology at MSK and a fellowship in colorectal surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He joined the MSK faculty in 2001 and is also a Professor of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine.

An internationally respected educator, Dr. Weiser has received numerous teaching honors from both MSK and WCM. In 2023, he received the Willet F. Whitmore Award for Clinical Excellence, MSK's highest honor recognizing excellence in patient care and teaching. He has also been consistently recognized by Castle Connolly, New York magazine, and Newsweek, which named him America's top colorectal surgeon in 2025.

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Rebecca Williams
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