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Focus on Jason Wellen, MD

Jason Wellen, MD is assistant professor in the Division of General Surgery and director of kidney and pancreas transplantation.

Dr. Wellen sees patients at the Center for Advanced Medicine, 4921 Parkview Place, 8th floor, Suite C, St. Louis, MO 63110.

FOR AN APPOINTMENT, PLEASE CALL 314-362-5365

Did you always know that you wanted to specialize in transplant surgery?

No, definitely not. My father is a physician, his specialty is internal medicine and he absolutely loves what he does. His passion showed through his job and he was always very happy. As a young boy, I enjoyed going to the hospital with him and being around the physicians -- it was very invigorating.

During my schooling, I liked science and the courses related to human anatomy and physiology. That led me towards medicine. Once in medicine, I discovered I loved surgery and always found myself most interested in the surgical aspects of patients.

When I did my surgical training in New Jersey, I was attracted to the transplant department. I appreciated the fact that the doctors were able to care for all the medical problems of their patients – before, during and following the transplant.

Dr. Wellen with nieces and nephew

How was it that you chose kidney and pancreas transplant as your specialties?

During training, and particularly my transplant fellowship and residency, I was fascinated by the physiology of the kidney and the pancreas. To be able to remove one organ from a person and put it into another was unbelievably intriguing. The endocrine function of the pancreas was also interesting – to not only rid someone of his or her diabetes through a transplant, but to actually see reversal of some of the complications.

What brought you to Washington University?

When I finished my general surgery training, I was looking for a transplant surgery fellowship. Because of its world-class reputation and excellent teachers, I came to Washington University to do my abdominal transplant surgery fellowship under William Chapman, MD.

Which aspect of your practice is most interesting?

We become connected to our patients because we follow and interact with them years before they ever get a transplant. Then it happens -- they get that exciting phone call and come in for surgery. We monitor their surgical and medical issues for years after surgery -- very few specialties have that type of continuity.

But what really fascinates me most, and what most patients and physicians don’t realize, is the fact that there are over fifteen people working together to make just one kidney transplant happen.

There are pre-kidney coordinators who make the phone call with the good news, two or three people from organ procurement (OPO), floor nurses, lab technicians, post-kidney coordinators, the flight crew, ambulance driver, nephrology fellow, the nephrologist, anesthesiologists, scrub nurses, OR nurses, and the surgeons. There is also a separate hospital staff waiting to do the procurement.

The entire process is an amazing coordination of resources, sometimes in different states, all working together to get one patient transplanted with one organ. Having played team sports, I appreciate the constant teamwork involved, and that attracted me to transplant. It’s a remarkable system in place for one goal, and that happens over 300 times a year at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Dr. Wellen in the south of France

What new developments in your field are you most excited about?

The biggest developments in transplant are being seen in the immunosuppressant realm. We have come a long way compared to where we were 20 years ago -- when people were kept on massive doses of steroids. Now days, patients are getting weaned off steroids more quickly. Some of the new immunosuppressants coming down the line have fewer side effects for the patients, which is nice because once people start taking drugs, they are on them for life.

Where are you from?

I was born in Brooklyn, New York and my family moved to south Florida when I was young. I lived in Florida until I went back to the New York/New Jersey area for my medical training.

Is there a particular award or achievement that is most gratifying?

When I was at Barnabas Medical Center I was chosen by the other residents as the chief resident who was the most influential to them. That award was very gratifying.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

Like most families in Florida, our family had a boat. When it was my turn to drive the boat, I also had to be able to dock the boat. During the docking process I would act like a mad-man, wanting complete silence from everyone so I could concentrate -- no talking, no music. My friends finally said, “Jason, you’re going to have to dock this boat whether people are talking or the music is playing. You might as well not make everyone else crazy – just dock the boat.”

That advice has stuck with me during my career. If something is stressful and you act tense and create a feeling of alarm, then everyone around you is going to feel anxious. One way or another you have to deal with the situation, so there is no reason to get everyone into a panic – just stay calm; you still have to dock the boat.

If you weren’t a doctor, what would you like to be doing?

I would like to run a hospital. The business side of health care has always fascinated me. The opportunity to run a financially sound hospital and still provide excellent world-class care would be something that would definitely interest me.

What do you like to do in your free time?

If I’m not going to be inside this hospital, I just want to be outside -- running in the park, bike riding with friends or playing basketball.

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