Surgery research fellow in Phoenix advances healthcare outcomes and education
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At Creighton University, one of the core Jesuit values we uphold is magis, the pursuit of something greater for the common good. Andrew Keogan, MD, general surgery resident at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Phoenix, truly brings the value of magis to life through his career in healthcare, dedication to education and endless curiosity.
Keogan’s journey in healthcare began as a registered nurse, where he spent 12 years providing care for critically ill and cardiac surgery patients. After eight years as a nurse, he was accepted to medical school, balancing his work in the cardiac intensive care unit while studying. In 2022, he earned his MD from the University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine.
Keogan matched into the Creighton University School of Medicine’s General Surgery Residency program in Phoenix, where his clinical skills and passion for education quickly caught the attention of Ross Bremner, MD, PhD, professor of surgery and executive director of the Norton Thoracic Institute, and Hahn Soe-Lin, MD, associate professor of surgery. When Keogan expressed an interest in a future career as a cardiothoracic surgeon, Bremner and Soe-Lin encouraged him to spend a year dedicated to research.
With the help of physician mentorship and the support of the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, Keogan became a research fellow became a research fellow at the Norton Thoracic Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and the Knowledge Donor Program at the St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Learning Institute and Simulation Center. His research is focused on lung transplant outcomes, the treatment of esophageal disease and whole-body cadaveric surgical simulation. Keogan’s research is both contributing to future patient outcomes and enhancing future physician training.
“Dr. Keogan is, in addition to his many achievements with Norton Thoracic Institute, literally building a cardiothoracic surgical simulation platform that he and other future trainees can use in cardiothoracic cannulation and high complexity surgical training,” says Soe-Lin.
Dr. Keogan is a uniquely talented, deeply self-driven individual who is emblematic of the very best that our clinical, educational and research programs have to offer.
— Hahn Soe-Lin, MD, associate professor of surgery in the Creighton University School of Medicine
During the first half of his research year, Keogan worked on submitting abstracts. Now, he is preparing to present his findings and submit them for publication.
The guidance of Bremner and Soe-Lin and the support from the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance has been instrumental in helping Keogan build a solid foundation for his future career as a cardiothoracic surgeon. The Creighton community in Phoenix has truly empowered him to live out the Jesuit value of magis—pursuing something greater for the benefit of all.
“Dr. Keogan is a uniquely talented, deeply self-driven individual who is emblematic of the very best that our clinical, educational and research programs have to offer,” says Soe-Lin.
