Heather Yeo, M.D., M.H.S., M.B.A., MS

Colon and Rectal Surgery

Locations and Appointments

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Personal Statement

♦ Virtual Visit: Delivering the same level of world-class care, with exceptional convenience. 

My goal, as a colon and rectal surgeon and as a surgical oncologist is to help my patients make informed decisions in their care and understand their disease process and treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical.  I hope to help my patients find a better quality of life and to help them through their surgical experience (when necessary).  I am lucky to work with a world renowned group of multidisciplinary specialists to help promote a multifaceted treatment plan for my patients, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists,  radiologists,  pathologists, gastroenterologists, pelvic floor specialists, urologists, and interventional radiologists. 

For Dr. Heather Yeo, medicine is synonymous with family (click for more info).

Dr. Yeo is a Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator and focuses on improving the quality of life of cancer patients using mobile tech (click for more info).

Biographical Info

Heather Yeo, MD, MHS, is Associate Professor of Surgery and Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Attending Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is board-certified in general surgery, colon and rectal surgery, and complex general surgical oncology. Dr. Yeo specializes in the comprehensive care of colorectal cancer patients as well as those patients with benign colorectal disease.

Click here to see Dr. Yeo's CBS-TV interview on new studying showing aspirin can reduce risk of GI and colon cancer.

Click here to see Dr. Yeo talk about colorectal cancer in older adults.

Click here to hear Dr. Yeo talk about health services research.

Because of her specialized training as a surgical oncologist, Dr. Yeo, is involved with her cancer patients throughout the course of their therapy and will help them to understand all of their treatment options. She works with a world renowned group of multidisciplinary specialists to help promote a multifaceted treatment plan for her patients, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, gastroenterologists, and interventional radiologists. 

Dr. Yeo has expertise in minimal access techniques, including laparoscopic, needlescopic, colonoscopic-assisted and robotic surgery. In addition, she has special interests in sphincter preserving surgery (helping rectal cancer patients avoid a permanent ostomy), maintaining fertility in cancer patients, and improving quality of life and bowel function after rectal surgery. Most recently, Dr. Yeo has adopted use of the endoluminal surgical platform, commonly known as the DiLumen, allowing some complex procedures to be accomplished using an endoscope and without external incisions.

Dr. Yeo’s clinical research focuses on the whole patient and improving the surgical experience. She has studied patient quality of life and outcome measures and believes incorporating those factors into her treatment decisions is very important.

Dr. Yeo has written extensively and published in many major journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Annals of Surgery, and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 

Dr. Yeo completed her general surgical residency at Yale New Haven Hospital , and her Surgical Oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and her fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She has a Masters in Health Service Research from Yale University.

Dr. Yeo is actively involved in many national Surgical and Oncologic Societies, including the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncologists, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Association of Women Surgeons, and Association of Academic Surgery. 

Honors and Awards

Ira S. Goldenberg Award, Intern of the Year, 2005

Bridgeport Hospital Trauma Resident of the Year, 2009

Bridgeport Hospital John H. Palmer award for outstanding resident citizenship, 2010

OSHE Research Grant, 2006 and 2010

Association for Academic Surgery Travel Grant Recipient, 2012

AACR/ASCO Vail Clinical Trials Course Participant, 2013

Association of Women Surgeons Foundation and Ethicon Endo Surgery, Inc. Fellowship, 2013-2014

Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program Grant, 2014-2016

New York SuperDoctor: an Honor given to 5% of all New York physicians 

Board Certifications
American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Surgery (Complex General Surgical Oncology)
Clinical Expertise
Rectal Surgery
Colon/Rectal Cancer Surgery
Cancer of Colon With Rectum
Cancer of Colon
Laparoscopic Colon and Rectal Surgery
Colon Cancer and Polyps
Diverticular Disease
Bowel Dysfunction
Rectal Prolapse
Rectal Cancer
FH: Bowel Obstruction
Obstruction of Bowel
Complex Anal Fistula Disease
Anal Sphincter Incontinence
Anal Incontinence
Laparoscopic Surgery
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Anal Fistula
Hemorrhoids
Gastrointestinal Malignancy
Sphincter Sparing Surgery
Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery
Anal Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Cancer of Appendix
HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy)
Cytoreductive Surgery, Without HIPEC, For Neoplasm Debulking
Major Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)
Cytoreductive Surgery Without Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) For Debulking of Neoplasm
Languages
English
Education 
  • M.B.A.
    Cornell University
    2019
  • M.S.
    Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University
    2019
  • M.H.S.
    Yale University
    2008
  • M.D.
    Georgetown University School of Medicine
    2004
  • B.S.F.S.
    Georgetown University
    1998
Appointments 
  • Associate Professor of Surgery
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
Videos

We Are Weill Cornell Medicine | Dr. Heather Yeo

Colorectal Cancer in an Aging Population - Dr. Heather Yeo

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Advisory/Scientific Board Member: 
SurvivorNet, Inc.