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Sanford E. Roberts III, MD, MSCE

Sanford Roberts
Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate: Stanford University

About Dr. Roberts

Sanford Roberts is a chief resident in general surgery. He graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology in 2013. He then received his medical degree in 2018 and Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology in 2023 from the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include racial health disparities and improving the diversity of the surgical workforce. He is a co-founder of the Physician Track program, a high school pipeline program aimed at helping Black high school students achieve careers in medicine. He plans to pursue a career as an academic vascular surgeon.

Education

2021-2023
Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology
University of Pennsylvania

2014-2018
MD - Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania

2009-2013
Bachelor of Arts, Human Biology
Stanford University

Societies

2017 - present
American College of Surgeons, Member

2014 - present
Penn Medicine Alliance of Minority Physicians, Member

Awards

  • 21st Century Perelman Scholarship: Full Tuition Scholarship to the Perelman School of Medicine
  • National Institute on Aging, R01 Administrative Supplement
  • National Institute on Aging, Loan Repayment Program
  • Sawtooth Academic Grant, Software Access Grant
  • Guggenheim Family Research Grant
  • Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Travel Grant
  • Stanford Undergraduate Advising and Research Grant
  • Equity Initiative Award, Best House Staff Abstract
  • Penn Pearl Teaching Award

Publications

Published Peer Reviewed Original Research

  1. Fisher R.S., Nune G., Roberts S.E., Cramer J.A.. The Personal Impact of Epilepsy Scale (PIES). Epilepsy Behav. Jan 2015;42:140-6. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.09.060
  2. Roberts S.E., Birgisson N., Julia Chang D., Koopman C. A pilot study on mobile phones as a means to access maternal health education in eastern rural Uganda. J Telemed Telecare. Jan 2015;21(1):14-7. doi:10.1177/1357633X14545433
  3. Roberts S.E., Mirzabeigi M.N., Naik A., Preciado C., Chang B. Osteoid Osteoma of the Trapezium: Case Report of an Unusual Tumor Location Presenting a Diagnostic Challenge. Case Rep Orthop. 2017;2017:3683854. doi:10.1155/2017/3683854
  4. Roberts S.E., Thibaudeau S., Burrell J.C., Zager E.L., Cullen D.K., Levin L.S. To reverse or not to reverse? A systematic review of autograft polarity on functional outcomes following peripheral nerve repair surgery. Microsurgery. Feb 2017;37(2):169-174. doi:10.1002/micr.30133
  5. Flanders T.M., Blue R., Roberts S.E., et al. Fully endoscopic microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm. J Neurosurg. Oct 5 2018;131(3):813-819. doi:10.3171/2018.4.JNS172631
  6. Roberts S.E., Aufhauser D.D., Braslow B.M. Large Bowel Obstruction Leading to Disseminated Salmonellosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. ACS Case Reviews in Surgery. 2018;2(1):10-13.
  7. Zhao C., Dowzicky P., Colbert L., Roberts S.E., Kelz R.R. Race, gender, and language concordance in the care of surgical patients: A systematic review. Surgery. Nov 2019;166(5):785-792. doi:10.1016/j.surg.2019.06.012
  8. Roberts S.E. I Can't Breathe - Race, Violence, and COVID-19. Ann Surg. Sep 1 2020;272(3):e191. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000004256
  9. Burrell J.C., Browne K.D., Dutton J.L., Laimo F.A., Das S., Brown D.P., Roberts S.E., Petrov D., Ali Z., Ledebur H.C., Rosen J.M., Kaplan H.M., Wolf J.A., Smith D.H., Chen H.I., Cullen D.K. A Porcine Model of Peripheral Nerve Injury Enabling Ultra-Long Regenerative Distances: Surgical Approach, Recovery Kinetics, and Clinical Relevance. Neurosurgery. Sep 15 2020;87(4):833-846. doi:10.1093/neuros/nyaa106
  10. Roberts S.E., Shea J.A., Sellers M., Butler P.D., Kelz R.R. Pursing a career in academic surgery among African American medical students. Am J Surg. Apr 2020;219(4):598-603. doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2019.08.009
  11. Zhao C., Dowzicky P., Colbert L., Roberts S.E., Kelz R.R. Response to "Regarding: 'Race, gender, and language concordance in the care of surgical patients: A systematic review'". Surgery. Apr 2020;167(4):774-775. doi:10.1016/j.surg.2019.12.012
  12. Aggarwal A., Rosen C.B., Nehemiah A., Maina I., Kelz R.R., Aarons C.B, Roberts S.E. Is There Color or Sex Behind the Mask and Sterile Blue? Examining Sex and Racial Demographics Within Academic Surgery. Ann Surg. Jan 1 2021;273(1):21-27. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000004461
  13. Bose SK, Dasani S, Roberts SE, et al. The Cost of Quarantine: Projecting the Financial Impact of Canceled Elective Surgery on the Nation's Hospitals. Ann Surg. May 1 2021;273(5):844-849. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000004766
  14. Nehemiah A, Roberts SE, Song Y, et al. Looking Beyond the Numbers: Increasing Diversity and Inclusion Through Holistic Review in General Surgery Recruitment. J Surg Educ. May-Jun 2021;78(3):763-769. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.08.048
  15. Roberts SE, Nehemiah A, Butler PD, Terhune K, Aarons CB. Mentoring Residents Underrepresented in Medicine: Strategies to Ensure Success. J Surg Educ. Mar-Apr 2021;78(2):361-365. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.08.002
  16. Sola R, Jr., Roberts SE, Thomas TJ, et al. Impact of Mentoring on Diversity and Inclusion in Surgery. Am Surg. Oct 13 2021:31348211047486. doi:10.1177/00031348211047486
  17. Janopaul-Naylor JR, Roberts SE, Shu HK, et al. Race, Ethnicity, and Sex Among Senior Faculty in Radiation Oncology From 2000 to 2019. JAMA Netw Open. Jan 4 2022;5(1):e2142720. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.42720
  18. Kaufman EJ, Keele LJ, Wirtalla CJ, Rosen C.B., Roberts S.E., Marvroudis C.L. Reilly P.M., Holena D.N., McHugh M.D., Small D., Kelz R.R. Operative and Nonoperative Outcomes of Emergency General Surgery Conditions: An Observational Study Using a Novel Instrumental Variable. Ann Surg. Jul 4 2022;doi:10.1097/sla.0000000000005519
  19. Peck CJ, Roberts, S.E., Ly, C.L., Hsia, H.C., Aarons, C.B., Guerra, C.E., Butler, P.D. Embracing Allyship in Academic Surgery: How All Surgeons Can Become Effective Champions for Change. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. March 29, 2022 2022;doi:10.1097/XCS.0000000000000203
  20. Petrov D., Burrell J.C., Browne K.D., Laimo F.A., Roberts S.E., Ali Z., Cullen D.K. Neurorrhaphy in Presence of Polyethylene Glycol Enables Immediate Electrophysiological Conduction in Porcine Model of Facial Nerve Injury. Front Surg. 2022;9:811544. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.811544
  21. Roberts SE, Burrell JC. Comments on "Comparison between normal and reverse orientation of graft in functional and histomorphological outcomes after autologous nerve grafting: An experimental study in the mouse model". Microsurgery. Mar 1 2022;doi:10.1002/micr.30876
  22. Roberts SE, Rosen CB, Keele LJ, et al. Rates of Surgical Consultations After Emergency Department Admission in Black and White Medicare Patients. JAMA Surg. Dec 1 2022;157(12):1097-1104. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2022.4959
  23. Roberts SE, Rosen CB, Wirtalla CJ, et al. Examining disparities among older multimorbid emergency general surgery patients: An observational study of Medicare beneficiaries. Am J Surg. Nov 21 2022;doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.11.026
  24. Rosen CB, Wirtalla, C.J., Keele, L.J. Roberts, S.E., Kaufman, E.J., Holena, D.N., Halpern, S.D., Kelz, R.R. Multimorbidity Confers Greater Risk for Older Patients in Emergency General Surgery Than the Presence of Multiple Comorbidities: A Retrospective Observational Study. Medical Care. 2022;60(8):616-622. doi:10.1097/mlr.0000000000001733
  25. Syvyk S, Roberts S.E., Finn CB, Wirtalla C, Kelz R. Colorectal cancer disparities across the continuum of cancer care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Surg. Feb 18 2022;doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.02.049
  26. Rosen C.B., Roberts S.E., Wirtalla C.J., et al. Analyzing Impact of Multimorbidity on Long-Term Outcomes after Emergency General Surgery: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study. J Am Coll Surg. Nov 1 2022;235(5):724-735. doi:10.1097/xcs.0000000000000303
  27. Finn C.B., Wirtalla, C.J., Roberts, S.E., Collier, K., Mehta, S.J., Guerra, C.E., Airoldi, E. Zhang, X., Keele, L.J., Aarons, C.B., Jensen, S.T., Kelz, R.R. Comparison of Simulated Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer Surgery at the Highest-Performing vs Chosen Local Hospitals. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(2):e2255999-e2255999. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.55999
  28. Ramadan O.I., Kelz R.R., Sharpe J.E., Wirtalla C.J., Keele L.J. Harhay M.O. Roberts S.E., Wang G.J. Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Outcomes after Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair. Journal of Vascular Surgery. 2023/04/26/ 2023;doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2023.04.029
  29. Pisapia J.M., Adeclat G., Roberts S.E., et al. Tumors of the brachial plexus region: A 15-year experience with emphasis on motor and pain outcomes and literature review. Surg Neurol Int. 2023;14:162. doi:10.25259/SNI_163_2023
  30. Brown D.E., Finn C.B., Roberts S.E., et al. Effect of Serious Mental Illness on Surgical Consultation and Operative Management of Older Adults with Acute Biliary Disease: A Nationwide Study. J Am Coll Surg. Aug 1 2023;237(2):301-308. doi:10.1097/XCS.0000000000000710
  31. Rosen C.B., Roberts S.E., Wirtalla C.J., et al. Emergency Surgery, Multimorbidity and Hospital-Free Days: A Retrospective Observational Study. J Surg Res. Aug 7 2023;291:660-669. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2023.06.049
  32. Rosen C.B., Roberts S.E., Wirtalla C.J., et al. The Conditional Effects of Multimorbidity on Operative vs Non-Operative Management of Emergency General Surgery Conditions: A Retrospective Observational Study Using an Instrumental Variable Analysis. Ann Surg. May 22 2023;doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000005901
  33. Rosen C.B., Roberts S.E., Sharpe J., Gershuni V., Altieri M.S., Kelz R.R. A study analyzing outcomes after bariatric surgery by primary language. Surg Endosc. Aug 2023;37(8):6504-6512. doi:10.1007/s00464-023-10127-5
  34. Rosen C.B., Roberts S.E., Syvyk S., et al. A Novel Mobile App to Identify Patients With Multimorbidity in the Emergency Setting: Development of an App and Feasibility Trial. JMIR Form Res. Jul 13 2023;7:e42970. doi:10.2196/42970
  35. Roberts S.E., Rosen C.B., Keele L.J., et al. Association of Established Primary Care Use With Postoperative Mortality Following Emergency General Surgery Procedures. JAMA Surg. Jul 19 2023;doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2023.2742
  36. Roberts S.E., Rosen C.B., Keele L.J., et al. Conditional Effects of Race on Operative and Nonoperative Outcomes of Emergency General Surgery Conditions. Med Care. Sep 1 2023;61(9):587-594. doi:10.1097/MLR.0000000000001883

Abstracts

  1. Nead K.T., Zhou M., Diaz Caceres R., Roberts S.E., Lee W.L., Phan N.H., Roberts S.C., Garcia K., Chhor B., Luong D.N., Cooke J.P., Leeper N.J. The Walking Impairment Questionnaire Predicts Total and Cardiovascular Mortality Independent of Peripheral Artery Disease Status. Oral Presentation presented at: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions; November 2012, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  2. Roberts S.E., Birgisson N., Chang D.J.  Perceptions and access to maternal health education in rural Uganda. Oral Presentation presented at: Harvard's Global Maternal Health Conference; January 2013, Arusha, TZA.
  3. Roberts S.E., Birgisson N., Chang D.J. Exploring the potential use of mobile phones in maternal healthcare education in Uganda Poster presented at: Unite For Sight 10th Annual Global Health & Innovation Conference; April, 2013, New Haven, CT, USA.
  4. Wen L., Ratner E., Harrison K., Chu L.F., Mariano E., Roberts S.E., Wang T., Udani A. A Pilot Study to Measure the Impact of Blended Learning on Intern Wellness and Burnout. Presented at: Society for Technology in Anesthesia; January 2014, Orlando, FL, USA.
  5. Erlendson M., Roberts S.E., Ngai L., Harrison K., Kurup V., Paulose, Chu L.F. Successful Transition to Anesthesia Residency Training: A multi-center study of an online distance-learning program designed to prepare interns for anesthesia residency training. Oral Presentation presented at: Yale’s NEGEA Annual Retreat; April 2014, New Haven, CT, USA.
  6. Wen L., Ratner E., Harrison K., Chu L.F., Mariano E., Roberts S.E., Udani A. The Impact of a Flipped Classroom on Intern Wellness and Burnout: A Pilot Study. Presented at: International Anesthesia Research Society Annual Meeting; May 2014, Montreal, QC, CAN.
  7. Chu L.F., Fuller A.J., Eng R., Ngai L., Blanco P.T., Roberts S.E., Piehl E., Ahearn A. A 12-Month Multi-Institutional Episodic Daily Learning Online Mobile Curriculum (STARTprep) Designed to Prepare Anesthesia Residents for Competency in the Anesthesia Basic Sciences. Presented at: American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting; October 2014, New Orleans, LA, USA.
  8. Eng, R., Roberts S.E., Grove W., Ngai, L., Bartsch J., Fuller A.J., Chu, L.F. STARTPrep: A 12-Month Multi-Institutional Online Preparatory Course for the American Board of Anesthesiology Part1 Basic Examination. Presented at: Anesthesia and Analgesia; December 2014, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  9. Roberts S.E., Wirtalla C.J., Dowzicky P., Hoffman R., Aarons C.B., Kelz R.R. Black Patients have Higher Rates of Readmission following General Surgical Operations. Oral Presentation. Academic Surgical Congress; January 2017, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
  10. Ali Z., Roberts S.E., Pisapia J., McShane B., Zager E. Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: A Case Series Poster. Presented at: Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2017 Annual Meeting; October 2017, Boston, MA, USA.
  11. Pisapia J., Giscard A., Roberts S.E., Yun L., Ali Z., Heuer G., Zager E. Tumors of the Brachial Plexus Region: a 25 Year Experience. CNS 2017. Presented at: Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting; October 2017, Boston, MA, USA.
  12. Zhao, C., Dowzicky P., Colbert-Mack L., Roberts S.E., Kelz R. Race, Gender, and Language Concordance in the Care of Surgical Patients. Presented at: Academic Surgical Congress; Feburary 2019, Houston, TX, USA.
  13. Roberts S.E., Shea J.A., Sellers M., Butler, P., Kelz R.R. Pursing a Career in Academic Surgery among African American Medical Students. Presented at: Society of Black Academic Surgeons; April 2019, New York, USA.
  14. Roberts, S.E., Rosen, C.B., Nehemiah, A., Wirtalla, C., Aarons, C.B., Tong, J.K., Grasty, M., Shafique, N., Kelz, R.R. Multimorbid Black Patients Have Lower Rates of Death or Major Morbidity Following an EGS Operation. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress; October, 2021; Virtual.
  15. Roberts, S.E., Collier, K.T., Rosen, C.B., Nehemiah, A., Aarons. C.B., Tong, J.C., Grasty, M., Shafique, N., Kelz, R.R. A Qualitative Study on the Perceptions of Access to Surgical Care for Older Black Adults. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress; October 2021; Virtual.
  16. Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Wirtalla, C., Keele, L., Kaufman, E.J., Holena, D.N., Kelz, R.R. Being Old and Sick in an Emergency: How Multimorbidity Impacts Emergency General Surgery Outcomes. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress; October 2021; Virtual.
  17. Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Wirtalla. C.J., Keele, L.J., Kaufman, E.J., Kelz, R.R. Qualifying Comorbidity Sets: A Mechanism to Estimate Risk in Older Emergency General Surgery Patients. Presented at: The 17th Annual Academic Surgical Congress, February 2022; Orlando, FL, USA.
  18. Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Wirtalla. C.J., Keele, L.J., Kaufman, E.J., Kelz, R.R. Operative and Non-Operative Management of Multimorbid Older Patients in Emergency General Surgery. Presented at: The 17th Annual Academic Surgical Congress, February 2022; Orlando, FL, USA.
  19. Collier, K., Wirtalla, C.J., Roberts, S.E., Bakillah, E., Karakousis G., Aarons, C.B., Kelz, R.R. Trends in Surgical Quality and Racial Disparities in Complex Cancer Care. Presented at: Society of Black Academic Surgeons, September 2022, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  20. Ramadan, O.I., Kelz, R.R., Sharpe, J.E., Wirtalla, C.J., Keele, L.J., Harhay, M.O., Roberts, S.E., Wang, G.J. The Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Outcomes after Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: A State Inpatient Databases Study. Presented at Eastern Vascular Society. September 2022, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  21. Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Syvyk, S., Finn, C., Tong, J., Wirtalla, C.J., Spinks, H., Kelz, R.R. A Novel Mobile App to Identify Multimorbid Patients in the Emergency General Setting: A Feasibility Study. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, October 2022; San Diego, CA, USA.
  22. Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Wirtalla, C.J., Kaufman, E.J., Keele, L.J., Halpern, S., Kelz, R.R. Analyzing the Impact of Multimorbidity on Long-Term Outcomes After Emergency General Surgery. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, October 2022; San Diego, CA, USA.
  23. Roberts, S.E., Rosen, C.B., Finn, C.B., Kaufman, E.J., Keele, L.J., Wirtalla, C.J., Syvyk, S., Kelz, R.R. Conditional Effects of Race on Operative and Nonoperative Outcomes of Emergency General Surgery. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, October 2022; San Diego, CA, USA.
  24. Moneme, A.N., Roberts, S.E., Wirtalla, C.J., Keele, L.J., Kaufman, E.J., Friedman, A., Kelz, R.R. Primary Care Visitations and Readmissions in an Older Emergency General Surgery Cohort. Presented at: The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, October 2022; San Diego, CA, USA.
  25. Roberts, S.E., Rosen, C.B., Wirtalla, C.J., Kaufman, E.J., Friedman, A., Kelz, R.R. Primary Care Visitation And Best Practices In Emergency General Surgery. Presented at: The 18th Annual Academic Surgical Congress, February 2023; Houston, TX, USA.
  26. Brown, D.E., Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Brooks, E., Keele, L.J., Wirtalla, C.J., Kaufman, E.J., Kelz, R.R. Conditional Effects of Serious Mental Illness on Outcomes in Emergency General Surgery. Presented at: The 18th Annual Academic Surgical Congress, February 2023; Houston, TX, USA.
  27. Rosen, C.B., Roberts, S.E., Sharpe, J.E., Gershuni, V., Altieri, M.S., Kelz, R.R. A Study Analyzing Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery by Primary Language. Presented at: SAGES, March 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  28. Roberts, S.E., Lewis, S., Sonko, M., Nichols, R., DeLisser, H., Sanaman, P. Physician Track: A Novel Wilderness Medicine Based Mentorship Program for Young Black Men. Presented at: Penn’s Health Equity Week, April 2023; Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  29. Roberts, S.E., Brown, D.E., Chen, A., Kelz, R.R., Soegaard Ballester, J.M., Ramadan, O.I., Menome, A.N., Glaser, J.D. Conditional Effect of Race on Primary Care Utilization and Amputation Risk for Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease. Accepted for Presentation at Vascular Annual Meeting, June 2023; National Harbor, MD, USA.
  30. Brown, D.E., Roberts, S.E., Chen, A., Kelz, R.R., Soegaard Ballester, J.M., Ramadan, O.I., Glaser, J.D. Association between Primary Care Utilization and Amputation Risk for Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease. Accepted for Presentation at Vascular Annual Meeting, June 2023; National Harbor, MD, USA.
  31. Dang, Q., Roberts, S.E., Concurs, S.J., Glaser, J.D. Clinical Predictors of Pathologically Positive Temporal Artery Biopsy. Accepted for Presentation at Vascular Annual Meeting, June 2023; National Harbor, MD, USA.

Peer Reviewed Book Chapter

Roberts S.E., Kelz R.R. (2021). Large Databases in Surgery. In D.A. Hashimoto (Ed.), (pp. 15-36). Artificial Intelligence in Surgery Boston: McGraw Hill.

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