James William Suliburk, MD, FACS

Dr. James Suliburk is a board-certified endocrine surgeon specializing in the treatment of tumors of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal gland. He is an Associate Professor and Chief of Endocrine Surgery - Surgical Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he is also Medical Director of Ambulatory Surgery Therapeutics (CfAST) in BCM’s Department of Surgery; and is a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Dr. Suliburk’s clinical interests include: thyroid nodules; goiter; Graves’ disease; thyroid cancer; hyperparathyroidism; adrenal masses; pheochromocytoma; Cushing’s, Conn’s diseases; minimally invasive parathyroidectomy and thyroidectomy; traditional open thyroidectomy; central, selective and modified radical neck dissection; single incision laparoscopic adrenalectomy; and traditional laparoscopic adrenalectomy. His research interests include: clinical outcomes in endocrine surgery in underserved and minority populations; outcomes in acute care and trauma surgery; and the application of mobile technology to improve peri-operative surgical care and communication with patients to detect impending complications. His research program at Ben Taub Hospital and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center offers opportunities in translational science, clinical outcomes, and mobile technology development/innovation. 

Dr. Suliburk also collaborates with other colleagues within Baylor College of Medicine to actively seek and develop state of the art treatments for hemorrhagic shock and severely injured trauma patients. His translational research includes the development of novel molecular markers and therapeutic targets in endocrine surgical disease (thyroid cancer, hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, and adrenal tumors), and metabolic markers of the endocrine response in severely injured major trauma patients. 

Dr. Suliburk received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He completed his residency in general surgery from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and a fellowship in endocrine surgery from Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia. He also completed an NIH T32 research fellowship from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. 

Dr. Suliburk is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Thyroid Association, American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, Houston Surgical Society, Association of Academic Surgeons, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Surgical Infection Society, and the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. 

Dr. Suliburk has been named a Top Doctor in General Surgery by Houstonia Magazine (2020). He has also received numerous awards in teaching excellence from Baylor College of Medicine.