James R. Korndorffer Jr., MD, MHPE, FACS

Clinical Biography

James R. Korndorffer Jr., MD, MHPE, FACS, is a board-certified general surgeon in UT Health Austin’s General Surgery Clinic. He specializes in minimally invasive general surgery. Additionally, Dr. Korndorffer is a professor in the Dell Medical School Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care and serves as both the interim Chair for the Dell Medical School Department of Medical Education and the Vice Dean of Education for the Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Korndorffer earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, graduating cum laude, from Tulane University, his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine, and his master’s degree in health professions education from the University of Illinois Chicago. He completed both an internship and residency in general surgery at Carolinas Medical Center and a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine.

Dr. Korndorffer formerly served as the inaugural Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Surgery at Stanford School of Medicine, where he also served as Director of the Goodman Surgical Simulation Center and the Surgical Education Fellowship Program. He has held multiple leadership roles, including Vice Chair of the Surgery Department, Program Director for the Surgical Residency, Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and Founding Medical Director of the Tulane Center for Advanced Medical Simulation at Tulane University. His clinical interests focus on minimally invasive surgery for gastrointestinal disorders and hernias. His research interests include medical education, simulation, patient safety, and healthcare quality. He was an early adopter of simulation-based surgical training and is actively involved in research on its role in patient care quality and healthcare system safety. He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, authored 10 book chapters, and delivered over 150 presentations at national and international meetings. He is an active member of numerous professional societies, including serving on the Editorial Board for the Surgical Council on Resident Education and the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) Revision Workgroup and Writing Group at the American Board of Surgery. He also served as the inaugural Chair of the Research Division for the Association for Program Directors in Surgery and as the inaugural Co-Chair of the Education Council for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). He currently serves on the Board of Directors for SAGES. He has served the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in various roles, including as Recorder, Program Chair, and Research Committee Chair for ACS - Accreditation for Education in Surgery (AEI), and as a member of the ACS Faculty Development Committee. He was an Associate Editor for the Journal of Surgical Education and was recently inducted into the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.