Faculty
Associate Professor
Complex Surgical Oncology and General Surgery
Ioannis Konstantinidis, M.D., was born and raised in Greece. He graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School.
Dr. Konstantinidis moved to the U.S. and completed a research fellowship on pancreatic and biliary cancer and a surgical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital before he completed his general surgery training at the University of Arizona. During his residency, he completed a research fellowship on pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He continued his advanced training in complex surgical oncology and robotic surgery at City of Hope National Cancer Center with Dr. Yuman Fong.
Dr. Konstantinidis has written several peer-reviewed articles on pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers and has received several awards, including an American Cancer Society Merit award.
Dr. Konstantinidis' services include treatment of malignant and benign tumors of the gastrointestinal tract including liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, stomach, small bowel, appendix; melanoma and sarcoma surgery; robotic assisted surgery; cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC); and general surgery.
Assistant Professor
Endocrine/Thyroid Surgery and General Surgery
Dr. Alkhalili (Pronounced al-ka-li-li) is an assistant professor of surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and Transmountain Hospital. He graduated from medical school at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan.
Dr. Alkhalili completed his internship in general surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital then finished his residency training at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. He then completed his endocrine surgery fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Alkhalili is dedicated to the surgical care of patients with disorders of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands.
Dr. Alkhalili's services include:
- Diagnosis and workup of thyroid nodules including thyroid ultrasound and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA).
- Thyroid and parathyroid surgery including thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy, neck dissection, and the transoral endoscopic “scar-free” approach to the thyroid and parathyroid glands.
- Workup of adrenal incidentalomas and nodules.
- Minimally invasive (laparoscopic) and open adrenalectomy.
Assistant Professor
General Surgery
Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery
Dr. Chiba is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery.
Shintaro Chiba, M.D. is an assistant professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Dr. Chiba specializes in weight loss surgery, reflux surgery, hernia surgery, minimally invasive general surgery, and robotic surgery.
Dr. Chiba completed his General Surgery Residency at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. He went on to complete a fellowship in Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery / Bariatric Surgery at Loma Linda University Health in Loma Linda, California.
Dr. Chiba is board-certified in general surgery. He is a member of American College of Surgeons (ACS), Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), and American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Dr. Chiba regularly publishes in his field and presents at national meetings.
Assistant Professor, Colon & Rectal/General Surgery
Ellen Wicker, D.O. has returned to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso now as an attending surgeon.
She is a native El Pasoan, born and raised on the west side of El Paso. She completed her Bachelors of Science degree at the University of Dallas and attended medical school at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas. She completed her General Surgery Residency here at Texas and Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and then completed additional training with the UT Health Houston Advanced Colorectal Fellowship. She is excited to return to the Sun City to offer her patients colon and rectal surgical care. Her focus is on minimally invasive colon and rectal surgery with the Da Vinci robot but she also offers screening colonoscopy, treatment for hemorrhoids, anal fissure, fecal incontinence, inflammatory bowel disease, and anal fistula.