Satyan K. Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Shah is a highly-trained surgeon and specialist in the minimally invasive treatment of Urological cancers, especially prostate and kidney cancer. He is the only fellowship-trained robotic surgeon of this kind in the entire state of New Mexico and is board-certified by the American Board of Urology. Dr. Shah has extensive experience with robotic prostatectomy and minimally-invasive kidney surgery. His talents in laparoscopic and robotic surgery have helped people from New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Texas fight cancer.
Dr. Shah continues to be the highest volume robotic surgeon in New Mexico, having performed over 500 robotic surgeries in NM since arriving in 2008. (This does NOT include the many more surgeries he performed in his training). He was the first to perform robotic radical prostatectomy, robotic simple prostatectomy, and robotic kidney surgery in the state of NM. His primary aim during surgery is to eradicate all the cancer. However, he strives to do so in a manner that also preserves quality of life. He employs nerve and sphincter preservation techniques during robotic prostatectomy to help preserve potency and urinary control whenever possible. Dr. Shah provides complete pre and postoperative care to all of his robotic surgery patients, and is known for the personalized attention he gives his patients.
Education: Dr. Shah was born and raised in New York State. He moved to New Jersey, where he graduated at the top of his medical school class, receiving the highest honor possible for an American physician - election to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society ("Top Gun"). Only the top 15% of all medical school graduates are elected to AOA. From UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey he went on to complete residency training in urology at Loma Linda University in Southern California. In 2004, Dr. Shah scored at the 100th percentile in the national urology in-training examination - the highest score nationwide that year. He later went on to complete a prestigious and intensive fellowship in Urologic Oncology (Cancer Surgery) at the nation's first cancer center, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (New York). Only a small percentage of prostate cancer surgeons have completed such a fellowship in urological cancer.
Publications: Dr. Shah has published numerous co-authored papers in such prestigious journals such as the Journal of Urology, The Prostate, Urology, Journal of Endourology, and the Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He has also presented numerous papers at international meetings, including the American Urological Association annual meeting. In particular, he is the only urologist in NM who has published his outcomes with robotic prostatectomy including oncologic and urinary continence related data.
Research: Dr. Shah is a passionate researcher who believes in trying to constantly improve our knowledge and treatment methods for prostate cancer. He has been particularly active in clinical research using the National Cancer Institute's SEER Program. Dr. Shah has also received extramural grant funding for some of his research endeavors.
Personal Achievements: Dr. Shah is a Black Belt in Karate and credits the martial arts with teaching him discipline and meticulous attention to detail. He is also an avid downhill skiier.