James Balserak, MD, F.A.C.S.

Specialty Area:
Surgical Endocrinology

Special Interests:
Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery - including hernia & adrenalectomy, Endocrine- Adrenal, Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery, Aerospace Medicine

Recommended Reading:

» Personal Statement
» Parathyroid
» Thyroid
» Adrenal Gland

Education

Medical College of Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Phi Kappa Phi
Doctor of Medicine (1986-1990)

U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine
Brooks Air Force Base, Texas
Graduated with Honor
Colonel
Arizona Air National Guard
Aerospace Medicine (1989)

University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Bachelor of Arts: Chemistry (1982-1986)
Summa Cum Laude; Phi Beta Kappa
Graduated with Highest Distinction
Academic Atlantic Coast Conference Honor Roll (1985)
Intermediate Honors (1984)
Echols Scholar
Varsity Track and Field (Long Jump)

Internship & Residency

General Surgery
University of Arizona Health Science Center
Tucson, Arizona (1990-1995)

» enlarge photo

Board Certification

American Board of Surgery (1996, 2006)

Military History

» View Military Biography

• Commander 162nd Medical Group
  162nd Fighter Wing
  Tucson Arizona National Guard (1/05 - present)
• Meritorious Achievement Award - 162nd Fighter Wing (02/06)
• Air National Guard 2004 Flight Surgeon of the Year (National Guard Bureau, Washington D.C.)
• Active Duty Service: Operation Iraqi Freedom
  Baghdad, Iraq (9/04 -11/17/04)
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom- Commander 447th EMEDS, Sather Air Base, Iraq 
    May - Sept 2007
    
• State Air Surgeon, Headquarters: Arizona Air National Guard (1/02 - 1/05)
• Graduate: Air War College, Air Force University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
• Graduate: Top Knife F16 Fighter Surgeons School, Klamath Falls, OR
• Graduate: Top Knife II F16 Fighter Surgeons School - Luke AFB, AZ
• Full Colonel (0-6)
  
  

Military Flying Hours

• Air Medal - Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007
• Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal - Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation - 447th Air Expeditionary Group, Baghdad International Aiport, Iraq
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
• National Defense Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border (Combat Zone)
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon
• Air Force Longevity Service
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
• Air Force Training Ribbon

  Links to Articles about Iraq Service:

  » NavySeals.com - 9/24/04
  » AZ Daily Star - 9/24/04
  » AZ Daily Star -12/05/04
  » Tucson Citizen -11/24/07
  

Professional Experience

Southwestern Surgery Associates   (1996-present)

Academic Appointment

Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery, College of Medicine

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona  (1995-present)

Committees and Elected Positions

• Tucson Medical Center:
  Section Chief, Dept of General Surgery (2005-2007)
  Section Chief, Dept of General Surgery (2002-2004)
• Arizona Diamondbacks Team Doctor (2005-2006)
• Tucson Surgical Society, Associate (1996-present)
• Southwestern Surgical Congress, Fellow  (1996-present)
• American College of Surgeons, Fellow  (1995-present)
• Who's Who Among Rising Young Americans  (1990)
• Phi Kappa Phi  (1989-present)
• Alpha Epsilon Delta, Cabinet Member  (1985-1986)
• Phi Beta Kappa  (1985-present)

Hospital Affiliations

Tucson Surgical Center
St. Joseph's Hospital - consultation staff only
Tucson Medical Center

Professional Affiliations

Medical:
American College of Surgeons  (F.A.C.S.)
American Association of Endocrinologists
Southwestern Surgical Congress
Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons
Tucson Surgical Society
Arizona Medial Association
Pima County Medical Society

Non-Medical:
Independent Board Director, Bronco Energy
Partner, Velocity Micro

Selected Publications

"Endoscopic-Assisted Ligation of Arteriovenous Malformations in the Gastrointestinal Tract," Society of American Gastroendoscopic Surgeons (September 1993)

 "Laparoscopic Staging of Hodgkin's Lymphoma," Journal of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery   (September 1993)

Oddie,K.M., J.S. Litz, J.C. Balserak, D.M. Payne, C.E. Creutz, and S.J. Parsons, "Modulation of pp60-src specific tyrosine kinase activity during secretion in stimulated bovine adrenal chromaffin cells," Journal of Neuroscience Research 24:38-48 (1989)

Hobbies/Interests/Affiliations

MSLB (Men's Senior League Baseball - Fastpitch Hardball)
Collecting Baseball/Sports Memorabilia