Brent D. Matthews, MD

I serve as a professor and chair of surgery at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and surgeon-in-chief at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center. I also serve as enterprise vice president for the Surgery Specialties Division of Advocate Health Care’s Southeast Region and executive director of the Atrium Health Center for Digestive Health and Surgery. 

Throughout my career, I’ve been honored to hold leadership roles in several national and international surgical organizations. I’m a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, past president of the American Hernia Society and a founding member of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society USA Chapter. I serve as a director of the General Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery, and I chair its Qualifying Examination Committee. I’m also president of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and president of the Fellowship Council.

I’ve helped lead major initiatives. I co-led the creation of IRCAD North America and serve as chair of its scientific committee, a partnership with IRCAD France. My academic work includes more than 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, hundreds of scientific abstracts and numerous book chapters. I’ve been honored with awards such as the SAGES Young Investigators Award, the SAGES Excellence in Medical Leadership Award and multiple faculty teaching awards.

My research has focused on:

• biomaterial for abdominal wall reconstruction
• connective tissue response to hernia repair
• clinical outcomes and quality improvements in foregut, hernia and emergency general surgery

Outside of work, I’m passionate about global surgery. I co-founded Surgical Outreach for the Americas, a nonprofit that partners with hospitals across Central America to provide needed surgical care. Our teams have completed 28 global surgery trips and performed more than 2,300 operations for communities in Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Belize.