Meet The Surgeons
Our group is currently composed of 7 surgeons, a physician assistant, a registered nurse first assist, and around 20 other employees. We also have arrangements with dietitians and critical care physicians to help throughout the journey. Our surgeons are listed below.
Dr. Chirag Patel
Dr. Patel completed his undergraduate studies in 1988 culminating
in a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University. He majored in
Biology with a Philosophy minor, held distinction on the Dean's List
for seven consecutive semesters and graduated with magna cum
laude honors. He obtained his Doctor of Medicine from Boston
University School of Medicine in 1992, graduating as a member of
the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society, a
distinction reserved for the top 10% of graduates. He completed his
residency in General Surgery at University of California-Irvine
Medical Center in 1997 and obtained additional fellowship training at
the St. Louis University Hospitals in Surgical Critical Care. He is
board certified in the specialty of Surgery and holds Added
Qualifications in Surgical Critical Care through the American Board
of Surgery. He is a practicing Fellow of the American College of
Surgeons and an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of
California-Irvine School of Medicine. He holds clinical privileges at
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center's Laguna Hills and San
Clemente hospitals. Dr. Patel specializes in General and
Laparoscopic Surgery, and has a particular interest in surgical
nutrition and the treatment of complex enterocutaneous fistula. His
other interests include reading, watching films and taking
photographs of his wife and two sons.
Dr. Blake Ashley
Dr Blake Ashley graduated in 1994 from
California State University, San Bernardino with
highest honors and in 1999 from the Medical
College of Wisconsin. He then completed his
surgical training at Loma Linda University
Medical Center in 2004.
Dr. Ashley holds privileges at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center and Saddleback Valley Outpatient Surgery Center. He is board certified in General Surgery and is a member of both the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Ashley specializes in Laparoscopic, Endocrine and General Surgery.
Dr. Nora Evans
Dr. Nora Evans graduated with honors in 1985 from the
University of California, Riverside. She graduated from Loma
Linda University College of Medicine in 1990 and attended
surgical residency at Kern Medical Center. Her training
continued with a colorectal fellowship at the University of Texas.
She has received numerous awards, including an achievement
award from the Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopic
Surgeons. She holds privileges at Saddleback Memorial
Medical Center, Saddleback Valley Outpatient Surgery Center
and South Coast Medical Center. She is a fellow in the
American College of Surgeons and the American College of
Colorectal Surgeons. Dr. Evans specializes in Colorectal,
Complex rectal surgery and General surgery.
Dr. Kenneth Deck
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio where he
attended the University of Cincinnati and graduated with honors in
1970. He then went on to Ohio State University College of
Medicine graduating with honors in 1973. His internship and
residency were done at USC Medical Center and were followed by a
fellowship in biliary and breast surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in
Los Angeles. He received his board certification in 1975 and is a
fellow in the American College of Surgeons. He is the surgical
director of the Memorial Care Breast Center at Saddleback Memorial
Medical Center. Dr. Deck is a member of the American Society of
Breast Surgeons, Society of Graduate Surgeons (SAGES) and the
Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons. He serves as a reviewer for the
California Medical Board and has privileges at Saddleback Memorial
Medical Center, Irvine Regional Hospital and Medical Center and
Saddleback Valley Outpatient Surgery Center. Dr. Deck specializes
in Breast and General Surgery.
Dr. William Campbell Wallace
A native Californian, born in Oakland
and raised in Tustin from the age of one. After graduating from
Servite High School in Anaheim he attended the University of
California, Riverside where he was a two time student senator,
graduating with deans list honors. He received his degree in
medicine with clinical honors from the University of Vermont College
of Medicine with an emphasis in surgical sciences, followed by six
years of surgical training in general and vascular surgery at the
University of California, Irvine Medical Center. In addition, he
completed a critical care research fellowship and was twice the
recipient of the surgical resident Golden Scalpel Award. He has
authored eight scientific papers, thirty abstracts, and presented at
several national surgical meetings.
Upon graduation he became an attending surgeon at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in 2002. Where he currently serves as a member of the Surgical Case Review Committee, Best Practices Committee and is a Member at Large of the Medical Executive Committee. Regionally he is serves as a member of the Memorial Care Best Practices Committee.
Dr. Wallace is proud to be a member of the American Medical Association and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a board certified diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine. He holds privileges at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Saddleback Valley Outpatient Surgery Center and South Coast Medical Center. Dr Wallace specializes in General, Vascular and Endocrine (thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal gland) surgery.
Dr. Robert A. Duensing
Robert A. Duensing, M.D. is originally from Palo Alto,
California. He attended UCLA where he received a Bachelor of
Science in Kinesiology and was consistently on the Dean's list
for Academic Honors while playing water polo and rowing on
the Varsity Crew team. He earned his Degree in Medicine at
the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1993. Immediately after
medical school he completed a six year residency in Surgery at
the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. His interest
in vascular surgery began during a fellowship where he
devoted an entire year performing basic science research
involving diseases of the vascular system. He has published
numerous articles appearing in medical journals as well as
many chapters of medical text books. After his General
Surgical residency, he furthered his Specialty training in
Vascular Surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center
where he became expert in the evaluation, diagnosis, and
treatment of Vascular Disease.
He joined the medical staff at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center where he serves on several committees, including the Surgical Credentialing committee and the Peripheral Vascular Steering Committee. In addition to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, he also has hospital privileges at San Clemente Medical Center, Hoag Hospital, Irvine Regional Hospital, South Coast Medical Center, and the Saddleback Valley Outpatient Surgery Center.
Dr. Duensing is double Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery in both Vascular Surgery and General Surgery. He is an active member and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a proud member of the nationwide Peripheral Vascular Surgical Society, and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Duensing's training has focused his expertise on diseases of the arterial and venous system including Carotid Artery Disease, Aortic Aneurysm Stent-Graft repair, dialysis access procedures. In addition, he has a special interest in the treatment of chronic wounds and Varicose Veins utilizing the lastest endovenous Laser Technology.
Dr. Wang Teng
Dr. Wang Teng graduated from the University of California, Irvine in
1994 and obtained his degree in medicine from the same university
in 1999. His surgical internship and residency were also at the
University of California, Irvine. This was followed by a fellowship in
Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the University of Utah,
Medical Center. Dr. Teng specializes in Vascular, Endovascular and
General Surgery and he is currently the Director of the Vascular
Center which provides evaluation and treatment of arterial and
venous circulatory disorders.
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