Renowned surgical oncologist takes leadership role at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine

The Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island has appointed Gary B. Deutsch, MD, MPH, a renowned and innovative surgical oncologist, as chief of NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine's Division of Surgical Oncology. He was also named director of the hospital's Robotic Surgical Oncology Program and professor in the school's Department of Surgery. Dr. Deutsch comes to NYU Langone from Northwell Health.

Dr. Deutsch has performed more than 500 complex robotic and minimally invasive surgeries in his career, consisting of innovative approaches to liver, pancreas, bile duct, and gastrointestinal malignancies. He was one of the first surgeons to perform a robotic Whipple procedure in New York and part of the first surgical team to perform a robotic prophylactic bilateral mastectomy in the United States.

"NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island is a special place. It has a long history and great local reputation," says Dr. Deutsch. "I'm honored to join this team, known for its unbelievable quality of care and talent. The backing and funding for research and clinical innovation have elevated healthcare on Long Island to another level."

Dr. Deutsch has deep roots on Long Island, having grown up in East Meadow and volunteered at what was then Winthrop Hospital, which would eventually become NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island. He currently specializes in robotic hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, and sees patients at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Long Island Surgical Oncology Associates in Mineola. Some of his most important research activities include grant-funded research in robotic surgery performance assessment and in national cancer clinical trials. He has presented his work at international conferences, including the American College of Surgeons Surgical Forum.

We are excited for Dr. Deutsch to join our department and bring his experience to our Long Island team. He has a proven record of leadership, and dedication to providing high-quality clinical care and collaborative research. He will be a great addition to our team."

Robert Montgomery, MD, PhD, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery in and chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine

As the chief of surgical oncology at the Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center on Long Island, Dr. Deutsch will collaborate with leadership across clinical service lines—including hematology and medical oncology, gastroenterology, radiology, gynecologic oncology, and radiation oncology—to create a seamless network of care for patients from diagnosis to surgery and recovery. His core mission is to increase cancer patients' quality of life during treatment, using innovative therapies with fewer and more manageable side effects, and more precise surgeries with shorter recovery times, all while offering the world-class care NYU Langone is known for at convenient locations for Long Island patients.

"Dr. Deutsch is a key part of our mission to achieve one standard of care across all Perlmutter Cancer Center locations," says Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, the Anita Steckler and Joseph Steckler Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of Perlmutter Cancer Center. "With his knowledge of the healthcare landscape on Long Island, we will be positioned to offer our patients the best care available, closer to home."

About Dr. Deutsch

Dr. Deutsch earned his bachelor of arts in biology and economics at the University of Rochester before completing his masters in public health at Columbia University and his medical degree at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. From there, he completed his residency in general surgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University/Northwell Health, where he became a chief resident. He then went on to become a clinical and research fellow in complex general surgical oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, during which time he also received his specialty certification in general surgery and complex general surgical oncology from the American Board of Surgery.

He has held several administrative leadership positions, including director of surgical oncology teaching services at Long Island Jewish Hospital, director of the complex general surgical oncology fellowship program and one of the general surgery residency programs at Northwell Health, and director of surgical oncology at South Shore University Hospital. He is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Surgeons, and the Society of Surgical Oncology.

Dr. Deutsch has dozens of peer-reviewed publications in major journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Surgical Oncology, and Surgical Oncology. He is renowned for his innovation, having established a new robotic curriculum based on human learning theory that was created from the perspective of the novice surgeon and tailored to reduce barriers in direct modeling of surgeon hand movement in the robotic environment.