Dr. Arghavan Salles

ABOUT ME

photo credit: Balazs Gardi

I remember standing up with my mom on the flight and walking to the big window, the one that was at the emergency exit, looking at the white, amorphous clouds below us. I understood about as much about those clouds as I did about our future. Only five years old, I had an immense feeling of awe as we soared through the sky. We landed in the United States in 1985, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here. Whether it was going to college on a full academic scholarship, going to Stanford for medical school and my PhD, or being featured in TIME magazine for my work on physician well-being, I have tried to make the most of every moment.

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photo credit: Gaia Squarci

photo credit: Balazs Gardi

Now I’m in a position to give back. So I’m looking for opportunities to help people, especially women, navigate the professional world. How do we create more inclusive workplaces? How do we help people bring their true selves to work? How do we foster health and wellness? These are the questions I spend a lot of time thinking about and researching.

Whether it’s talking about sexual harassment, including gender harassment, in the workplace, my own personal “failures,” or any other topic, I connect with audiences in an authentic way. I believe vulnerability builds connection, and I can’t wait to connect with you!

18 YearS

OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE

150+

PUBLICATIONS + PRESS

80+

NATIONAL LECTURES

AS SEEN IN

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EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

BS Biomedical Engineering
University of Southern California
1998-2002

BA French
University of Southern California
1998-2002

 

Scholar in Residence
Stanford University School of Medicine
2019 to 2020

Surgical Resident
Stanford Health Care
2006-2008, 2012-2015

PhD
Graduate School of Education, Stanford University
2008-2014

MD
Stanford University School of Medicine
2002-2006

 

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Washington University in St. Louis
2016-2019

Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Washington University in St. Louis
2015-2016

 

Selected Awards & Honors

John A. Benson, Jr. MD Professionalism Article Prize for “Estimating Implicit and Explicit Gender Bias Among Healthcare Professionals and Surgeons,” Awarded by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, 2020

Smart Appropriate Response Training grant awarded by CRICO, 2020

Exceptional Mentor Award from American Medical Women’s Association, 2019

The Stemmler Fund, grant awarded from the National Board of Medical Education, 2020 (award declined)

Visiting Professorship, Society for Asian Academic Surgeons, 2019

Joan F. Giambalvo Grant from the AMA Foundation, 2018

Honorable mention, #IStandWithHer award from the Women in Medicine Summit, 2019

Academic Publications

*indicates mentee author

Malik, R., & Salles, A. (2022). Debunking Four Common Gender Equity Myths. European Urology, in press.

Levy, M.S.,* Kelly, A.G.,* Brown, A.D.,* Caban-Martinez, A., Arora, V.M, Salles, A. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on family building among physicians and trainees. Journal of General Internal Medicine, in press.

Levy, M.S.,* Talib, H., Jeelani, R., Duke, C.M.P., Arora, V.M., & Salles, A. (2022). Abortion among physicians building their family. Obstetrics & Gynecology, in press.

Cardador, T., Hill, P., & Salles, A. (2021). Unpacking the status-leveling burden for women in male-dominated occupations. Administrative Science Quarterly.

Salles, A. & Jagsi, R. (2021). Institutional imperatives for the advancement of women in medicine and science through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet.

Salles, A., Arora, V., & Mitchell, K.A. (2021). Everyone must address anti-Black racism in health care: Steps for non-Black health care professionals to take. JAMA.

Gerull, K.M.*, Wahba, B.M.*, Goldin, L.M., Mcallister, J., Wright, A., Cochran, A., Salles, A. (2020). Representation of women in speaking roles at surgical conferences. American Journal of Surgery, 220(1):20-26.

Marshall, A.L., Arora, V.M., Salles, A. (2020). Physician fertility: A call to action. Academic Medicine, 95(5):679-681.

Salles, A., Awad, M., Goldin, L., Krus, K.,* Lee, J.V.,* Schwabe, M.,* & Lai, C.K. (2019). Estimating implicit and explicit gender bias among healthcare professionals and surgeons. JAMA Open, 2(7):e196545.

Altieri, M.S.*, Salles, A., Bevilacqua, L., Brunt, L.M., Mellinger, J.D., Gooch, J.C., Pryor, A.D. (2019). Perceptions of surgery residents about parental leave during training. JAMA Surgery, 154(10):952-958.

Salles, A., Torres, M.B.,* & Cochran, A. (2019). Recognizing and reacting to microaggressions in medicine and surgery. JAMA Surgery, 154(9):868-872.

Gerull, K.M.*, Wahba, B.M.*, Goldin, L.M., Mcallister, J., Wright, A., Cochran, A., Salles, A. (2020). Representation of women in speaking roles at surgical conferences. American Journal of Surgery, 220(1):20-26.

*indicates mentee author

  1. Greco, S.H., Davis, C.H., Hicks, C.W., Kaye, A.E., Maxwell, J.E., Salles, A., & Henry, M.D.W. (2021). How to review a surgical scientific paper: A guide for critical appraisal. Annals of Surgery Open, 2(1):e027.
  2. Stanford, F.C., & Salles, A. (2020). Physician athletes promoting physical fitness through social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Promotion Practice, in press.
  3. Manne-Goehler, J., Krakower, D., Marcelin, J.R., Salles, A., del Rio, C., Stead, W. (2020). Peering through the looking glass: A mixed methods study of faculty perceptions of gender barriers to academic advancement in infectious diseases. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 222(6):S528-S534.
  4. Kushner, B.S.,* Freeman, D., Sparkman, J., Salles, A., Eagon, J.C., & Eckhouse, S.R. (2020). Assessment of post-operative nausea and vomiting after bariatric surgery using a validated questionnaire. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, in press.
  5. Salles, A., Choo, E.K. (2020). The Queen Bee phenomenon: A consequence of the hive. The Lancet, 325(453):940.
  6. Pendleton, K.M., & Salles, A. (2020). Maternity leave: Not just a challenge for trainees. Academic Medicine, 95(4):489.
  7. Marcelin, J.R., Salles, A., & O’Glasser, A.Y. (2020). “Let me tell you what I wish I’d known when I was young”: A letter to new physicians. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 12(1):111-112.
  8. Marshall, A.L., Arora, V.M., Salles, A. (2020). Physician fertility: A call to action. Academic Medicine, 95(5):679-681.
  9. Gerull, K.M.*, Wahba, B.M.*, Goldin, L.M., Mcallister, J., Wright, A., Cochran, A., Salles, A. (2020). Representation of women in speaking roles at surgical conferences. American Journal of Surgery, 220(1):20-26.
  10. Han, B.*, Salles, A. (2019). How the personal characteristics of grit and resilience relate to surgeon well-being. Resources in Surgical Education.
  11. Spector, N., Asante, P.A. Marcelin, J.R., Poorman, J.A., Larson, A.R., Salles, A., Silver, J.K. (2019). Women in pediatrics: Progress, barriers, and opportunities for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Pediatrics, 144(5):e20192149.
  12. Altieri, M.S.*, Salles, A., Bevilacqua, L., Brunt, L.M., Mellinger, J.D., Gooch, J.C., Pryor, A.D. (2019). Perceptions of surgery residents about parental leave during training. JAMA Surgery, 154(10):952-958.
  13. Salles, A., Torres, M.B.,* & Cochran, A. (2019). Recognizing and reacting to microaggressions in medicine and surgery. JAMA Surgery, 154(9):868-872.
  14. Salles, A., Milam, L., Sevdalis, N., et al. (2019). Multi-institutional surgical education interventions: A scoping review. Annals of Surgery, 270(2):257-269.
  15. Salles, A., Awad, M., Goldin, L., Krus, K.,* Lee, J.V.,* Schwabe, M.,* & Lai, C.K. (2019). Estimating implicit and explicit gender bias among healthcare professionals and surgeons. JAMA Open, 2(7):e196545.
  16. Milam, L.A., Cohen, G.L., Mueller, C., & Salles, A. (2019). The relationship between self-efficacy and well-being among surgical residents. Journal of Surgical Education, 76(2):321-328.
  17. Gerull, K.M.,* Loe, M.,* Seiler, K., * McAllister, J. , * & Salles, A. (2019). Assessing gender bias in qualitative evaluations of surgical residents. American Journal of Surgery, 217(2):306-313.
  18. Salles, A., Wright, R.C., Milam, L., Panni, R.Z., * Liebert, C.A., Lau, J.N., Lin, D.T., & Mueller, C.M. (2019). Social belonging as a predictor of well-being and surgical resident attrition, Journal of Surgical Education, 76(2):370-377.
  19. Milam, L.A., Cohen, G.L., Mueller, C., & Salles, A. (2018). Stereotype threat and working memory among surgical residents, American Journal of Surgery, 216(4):824-829.
  20. Vouri, S., Chen, J., Sparkman, J., Salles, A., & Micek, S. (2018). Antidiabetic medication de-escalation following bariatric surgery. Journal of Diabetes, 10(9):768-770.
  21. Salles, A., Milam, L., Cohen, G., & Mueller, C. (2018). The relationship between perceived gender judgment and well-being among surgical residents. American Journal of Surgery, 251(2):233-237.
  22. Alobuia, W., Salles, A., Gibson, M., & Mueller, C. (2018). Physician wellness in surgical residency. Current Surgery Reports, 6(3).
  23. Cullinan, D.R., * Schill, M.R., DeClue, A., Salles, A., Wise, P.E., & Awad, M.M. (2018). Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery: Not only for senior residents. Journal of Surgical Education, 74(6):e51-e54.
  24. Salles, A., Liebert, C.A., Esquivel, M, Greco, R.S., Henry, R., & Mueller, C. (2018). Perceived value of a program to promote surgical resident well-being. Journal of Surgical Education, 74(6):921-927.
  25. Salles, A. (2017). Self-efficacy as a measure of confidence. JAMA Surgery, 152(5):506-507.
  26. Phitayakorn, R., Salles, A., Falcone, J.N., Steineman, S., & Torbeck, L. (2017). A needs assessment of education research topics among surgical educators in the United States. American Journal of Surgery, 213(2):346-352.
  27. Lin, D.T., Liebert C.A., Esquivel M.M., Tran, J., Lau, J.N., Greco, R.S., Mueller, C.M., & Salles, A. (2017). Prevalence and predictors of depression among general surgery residents. American Journal of Surgery, 213(2):313-317.
  28. Salles, A., Lin D., Liebert C., Esquivel M., Lau J.N., Greco, R.S., & Mueller, C. (2017). Grit as a predictor of risk of attrition in surgical residency. American Journal of Surgery, 213(2):288-291.
  29. Salles, A. (2017). Commentary on “National survey of burnout among US general surgery residents.” Selected Readings in General Surgery, 43(1):e1.
  30. Lin, D.T., Liebert, C.A., Tran, J., Lau, J.N., & Salles, A. (2016). Emotional intelligence as a predictor of resident wellness and belonging. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 223(2) 352-358.
  31. Salles, A., Mueller, C.L., & Cohen, G.L. (2016). A values affirmation intervention for improvement of female surgical residents’ surgical performance. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 8(3): 378-383.
  32. Salles, A., Dua, M., Friedland, S., & Visser, B. (2016). Minimally invasive approaches to resection of benign/low grade gastric tumors. Surgical Endoscopy, 30(6): 2624-5.
  33. Salles, A., Mueller, C.L., & Cohen, G.L. (2016). Exploring the relationship between stereotype perception and residents’ well-being. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 222(1): 52-58.
  34. Salles, A., Liebert, C.A., & Greco, R.S. (2015). Promoting balance in the lives of resident physicians: A call to action. JAMA Surgery, 150(7): 607-8.
  35. Sweeney, TE., Salles, A., Harris, O.A., Spain, D.A., & Staudenmayer, K.L. (2015). Prediction of neurosurgical intervention after mild traumatic brain injury using the national trauma data bank. World Journal of Emergency Surgery,10(23).
  36. Salles, A., Cohen, G.L., & Mueller, C.M. (2014). The relationship between grit and resident well-being. American Journal of Surgery, 207(2): 251-4.
  37. Salles, A., Kastenberg, Z., Wall, J., Visser, B., & Bruzoni, M. (2013). Complete resection of a rare intrahepatic variant of a choledochal cyst. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 48(3): 652-4.
  38. Salles, A., Nino-Murcia, M., & Jeffrey, R.B. Jr. (2008). CT of pancreas: minimum intensity projections. Abdominal Imaging, 33(2): 207-13.
  39. Stuart, E., Curet, M., Trumbull, R., Jordan, C., Langen, E., Salles, A., & Fetterman, D. (2006). Stanford School of Medicine Clerkship Evaluation Tutorial:  Individual Evaluators’ Tutorial, MedEdPORTAL. Available from: http://www.aamc.org/mededportal, ID = 469.

CHECK OUT MY QUARANTINE YOGA

I discovered yoga when I was in medical school and needed a healthy escape from that high-stress environment. As the demands on my schedule have changed over the years, my yoga practice has waxed and waned but has been ever-present. When we sheltered in place in March 2020, I found peace and comfort in the practice and wished to share it with others. Even though it felt like the world was ending, we found connection through asanas. I started hosting free weekly yoga classes online, and I later taught through Joy of Yoga in St. Louis. My teaching style is best aligned with what you might call power vinyasa, with a focus on building heat and engaging the core. If you’re looking for an intense practice which will get you into shape while also inviting calm, check out my classes on my YouTube page. I’m available for private sessions or to lead group practices because I love spreading the joy of yoga!

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