Douglas B. Evans, MD, is a distinguished figure in the field of surgery, currently serving as the Donald C. Ausman Family Foundation Professor of Surgery and Chair of the Department of Surgery at The Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to his appointment at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2009, Doctor Douglas held the prestigious Hamill Foundation Distinguished Professorship of Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Board-certified in surgery, Doctor Douglas’s clinical expertise is centered on the intricate treatment of pancreatic cancer and tumors affecting the endocrine system. This includes a wide range of conditions related to the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, and gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. Patients under Doctor Douglas’s care benefit from his affiliations with renowned medical institutions including Froedtert Hospital, the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, and Children’s Wisconsin.
Doctor Douglas has dedicated his extensive career to advancing the understanding and treatment of pancreatic cancer and inherited endocrine syndromes. His professional passions extend to translational laboratory research focused on unraveling the complexities of pancreatic cancer biology, alongside the meticulous development of innovative clinical trials. His commitment to research is evident in the numerous investigator-initiated clinical trials he has spearheaded, notably including a National Cancer Institute Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (NIH P20 SPORE) pancreatic cancer grant. During his tenure at MD Anderson, Doctor Douglas’s endocrine surgery group conducted groundbreaking work on genotype-phenotype correlations within multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes. Furthermore, they were pioneers in establishing the crucial role of ultrasound in the preoperative management of patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer. His dedication to education has been recognized with two Outstanding Teacher Awards at MD Anderson, and he was further honored with the Faculty Achievement Award in Clinical Research in 1998.
Since joining MCW, Doctor Douglas has been instrumental in the growth and development of the Department of Surgery. He has strategically expanded the faculty across all clinical divisions, fostering a culture that emphasizes innovation and discovery. A strong advocate for inclusivity and diversity, Doctor Douglas champions these principles within his department and beyond. Notably, the MCW surgical residency program, under his leadership, has become a leading force in supporting the career advancement of women in general surgery and its subspecialties. The MCW Program in Pancreatic Cancer has received significant philanthropic support, recently endowed by the LaBahn family, making it one of a select few endowed Pancreatic Cancer Research Programs in the nation.
Doctor Douglas is a respected Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and actively contributes to the medical community through his service on the editorial boards of Surgery and The American Journal of Surgery. He previously held the position of Editor for the Pancreatic Tumors Section of the Annals of Surgical Oncology. His expertise in cancer staging is recognized through his contributions to the AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) Cancer Staging Manual, where he served on the editorial board for the seventh edition and chaired the committee responsible for revising the staging system for pancreatic cancer. Doctor Douglas has contributed his expertise to numerous national medical advisory committees and maintains strong collaborations with patient advocacy groups, including the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and the Lustgarten Foundation. His leadership within these organizations includes serving as Chair of the PanCAN-American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Acceleration Network Grants Scientific Review Committee (2013-2014) and on the Scientific Review Committee for the PanCAN-AACR Career Development Awards (2016-2018). He currently lends his expertise to the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center External Advisory Board, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research PanCuRx Review Panel, and the National Advisory Council for the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN).
The scholarly contributions of Doctor Douglas are substantial, with over 400 journal articles and more than 90 book chapters authored or co-authored by him. He has also edited eight books, solidifying his position as a thought leader in his field. His insights and expertise are frequently sought after, leading to countless invited and named lectureships both nationally and internationally. He served as President of the prestigious American Association of Endocrine Surgeons from 2010-2011. Further recognition of his surgical excellence includes the American College of Surgeons Traveling Fellowship to Australia and New Zealand awarded in 1999.
Doctor Douglas’s medical journey includes a general surgery residency at Dartmouth and a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Bates College recently honored him with the Benjamin E. Mays Medal for alumni achievement, recognizing his significant contributions to his field. Outside of his demanding professional life, Doctor Douglas enjoys sailing on Lake Michigan with his J122 sailboat named “elbow room,” a program dedicated to raising pancreatic cancer awareness. He is married to Betsy, and together they have three adult children, Courtney, Lindsay, and Bryan, and are proud grandparents to six grandchildren.
