What is Colorectal Surgery?
Colorectal surgeons are general surgeons that diagnose and treat disorders of the intestinal tract, colon, rectum, and anus. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), colon and rectal surgeons must complete a five-year general surgery residency followed by a one year colon and rectal residency with written and oral examinations. These physicians become experts in surgical and nonsurgical treatments. Some common surgeries that these physicians perform include colon cancer/colon resections, endoscopic surgery, inflammatory bowel syndrome surgery, and rectopexy.
According to the AMA, colorectal surgery allows for a great lifestyle with few emergency problems and the ability and flexibility to work in the daylight, whether in academia or clinic practice. These physicians also receive extensive training on examining the body through many techniques.
Our Physician
Dr. Carmen Fong
Carmen Fong (she/her/they) is a Chinese-American writer, artist, and colorectal surgeon who lives in New York City with her wife, who is an Infectious Diseases physician. They’re currently owned by two cats, Gabriel and Moses. Dr. Fong attended Sarah Lawrence College for undergrad and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine for medical school. She ended up coming back to New York for her residency and fellowship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and NYU Winthrop, respectively. Dr. Fong’s practice is based out of Mount Sinai Downtown-Union Square. She was a Stony Brook Children’s Literature Fellow and writes young adult and adult fiction. Additionally, her poetry has been published online. She also avidly blogs about healthcare and surgery. She is now an Ambassador for Fight Colorectal Cancer. In her free time, she likes to cook, run, read, garden, tinker with astronomy and photography, make art, practice yoga, and be her own financial advisor!
She can be found on Twitter @hongkongfong and on Instagram @carmen_fongMD