Stanford Abdominal Transplantation Surgery Establishes New Education Leadership Roles

To further strengthen its commitment to surgical education, the Division of Abdominal Transplant Surgery at Stanford has created a new leadership structure dedicated to enhancing the training experience for medical students, residents, and fellows. Effective August 1, 2025, the division will officially launch the role of Director of Surgical Education, a position that will also encompass leadership of the ASTS Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship Program.

Dr. Thomas Pham has been appointed as the inaugural Director of Surgical Education and will assume the role of Fellowship Program Director. A 2016 graduate of Stanford’s transplant fellowship, Dr. Pham brings nearly a decade of educational leadership to this new role. He has served as Associate Program Director since 2019 and has also led the Department of Surgery’s Core Clerkship since 2020. “His national contributions through the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and his dedication to mentorship and curriculum development make him exceptionally qualified to oversee the division’s growing educational mission,” says  Dr. Marc Melcher, Chief of the Division of Abdominal Transplant Surgery.

Joining Dr. Pham in this effort is Dr. Kliment Bozhilov, who has been named Associate Director of Surgical Education. A 2024 graduate of the fellowship program, Dr. Bozhilov joined the division as a Clinical Assistant Professor shortly thereafter. He has led resident onboarding efforts and developed a structured lecture series to support learning across training levels.

“These new roles reflect our commitment to providing a unified and comprehensive educational experience,” said Dr. Melcher. “We are confident that under the leadership of Drs. Pham and Bozhilov, our educational programs will continue to grow in excellence and impact.”

On his appointment to the role, Dr. Pham shared “I am honored to take on this role previously held by Dr. Marc Melcher and Dr. Carlos Esquivel and look forward to providing an exceptional educational experience for all of our trainees.”