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Faculty

May Tee, MD, MPH, FACS ( She / Her)

Associate Professor and Program Director of Surgery Residency

may.tee@howard.edu
202-865-1449
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Department/Office

  • Surgery

School/College

  • College of Medicine

Additional Positions

  • Surgical Oncologist
    Oncology

Biography

Biography

Dr. May C. Tee, MD, MPH, FACS is an academic surgical oncologist and hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgeon with expertise in complex liver, pancreatic, solid organ, and upper gastrointestinal diseases. She serves as Associate Professor of Surgery at Howard University College of Medicine and Program Director of the General Surgery Residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Dr. Tee completed her Medical Degree and General Surgery residency at the University of British Columbia, where she received the Department of Surgery’s graduation award for surgical excellence. During residency, she earned a Master of Public Health in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Harvard University, focusing on surgical outcomes and quality improvement. She subsequently completed fellowship training in Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and Complex Gastrointestinal Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Dr. Tee has performed hundreds of complex operations—often using advanced minimally invasive and robotic techniques—with excellent clinical and oncologic outcomes. Her operative videos have been featured in the American College of Surgeons and Society of Surgical Oncology video libraries, where they are used to teach other surgeons and trainees specialized procedures in hepatopancreatobiliary and complex gastrointestinal surgery.

Nationally recognized as both a surgical educator and innovator, Dr. Tee currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS), the national body representing surgical education leadership across the United States. She also contributed to the American Board of Surgery (ABS) as a member of the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) and Competency-Based Education Subcommittee, advancing national standards in surgical training and assessment.

Dr. Tee’s academic portfolio includes more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, with research spanning surgical outcomes, health disparities, resident education, and quality improvement. She has been an invited speaker and moderator at numerous national surgical conferences, including the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, Association of Program Directors in Surgery, and Academic Surgical Congress.

At Howard University, Dr. Tee is committed to mentorship, innovation in surgical education, and advancing inclusive excellence in surgery. She leads an accredited residency program that integrates competency-based education, simulation, and equity-focused training to prepare the next generation of surgeons for independent practice.

Education

  • Fellowship: Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and Complex Gastrointestinal Surgery — Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Graduate School: Master of Public Health (Clinical Epidemiology / Biostatistics) — Harvard University, Boston, MA
  • Residency: General Surgery — University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • Medical School: Doctor of Medicine — University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Qualifications

  • Board Certification: American Board of Surgery
  • Fellow: American College of Surgeons (FACS)
  • Board Certification: Royal College of Surgeons of Canada
  • Certified in Advanced HPB Surgery: Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA)

Leadership and Service

  • Board of Directors, Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS)
  • Subcommittee Member, Entrustable Professional Activities and Competency-Based Education, American Board of Surgery (ABS)
  • Chair, Surgical Education Committee, Howard University Department of Surgery
  • Program Director, General Surgery Residency, Howard University Hospital
  • Associate Professor of Surgery, Howard University College of Medicine

Selected Honors and Recognition

  • Chair’s Award for Outstanding Service, Howard University Department of Surgery
  • Faculty Teaching Award, General Surgery Residency, MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center
  • Fellow Teaching Award, Mayo Clinic Department of Surgery
  • Dr. A.W.D. Bill Knox Memorial Award for Surgical Excellence, University of British Columbia

Scholarly and Educational Impact

  • Over 40 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters in high-impact surgical and oncologic journals
  • Invited national speaker and moderator at major conferences including ACS, SSO, APDS, and ASC.
  • Contributor and co-author for educational materials on the Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE) Portal
  • Operations featured in national operative video libraries by ACS and SSO

  • Principal Investigator and collaborator on projects in surgical education innovation, AI in surgical education and recruitment, and health equity

     

Education & Expertise

Education

Fellowship

Hepatobiliary / Pancreatic / Complex Gastrointestinal Surgery
Mayo Clinic
2014-2016

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Quantitative Methods (Clinical Epidemiology / Biostatistics)
Harvard University
2010-2011

Residency

General Surgery Residency
University of British Columbia
2008-2014

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Medical Degree
University of British Columbia
2004-2008




Expertise

Cancer Surgery

  • Liver cancer (primary and secondary neoplasms): hepatic resection / ablation
  • Pancreas cancer: pancreatectomy / Whipple including major vascular resection and reconstruction
  • Gallbladder cancer: radical cholecystectomy, portal lymphadenectomy
  • Biliary tract cancer: bile duct resection with biliary reconstruction
  • Gastric (stomach) cancer: gastrectomy with gastrointestinal reconstruction
  • Spleen: splenectomy for benign and malignant conditions
  • Bowel (small intestine, colon, appendix) cancer: bowel resection
  • Vascular access: placement of ports to facilitate chemotherapy
  • Other surgical conditions: abdominal wall reconstruction / hernia repair
  • Minimally invasive surgery: robotic, laparoscopic, and endoscopic surgery

Academics

Academics

General Surgery Residency Program Director

The Howard University General Surgery Residency Program is a postgraduate training program, fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). There is a complement of 33 resident physicians training to become board-eligible surgeons. Many of these trainees have gone on to do cutting edge research as surgeon-scientists, matched to extremely competitive fellowships in all surgical subspecialties, and have become leaders in surgery.

Research

Research

Specialty

Cancer Surgery - Outcomes and Health Disparities

Funding

Howard University College of Medicine Junior Faculty Scholars Award (2023-2024)

Accomplishments

Accomplishments

Board Certifications

  • Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association – Certification in Advanced HPB Surgery (2016)
  • American Board of Surgery – Board Certification in Surgery (2015)
  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – Board Certification in General Surgery (2014)

Credentials

  • Program Director, Howard University Hospital General Surgery Residency (Feb 2023-present)
  • Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology, Howard University (Jan 2023-present)
  • District of Columbia Board of Medicine, DC Medical License (Sep 2022-present)

Publications and Presentations

Publications and Presentations

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=tee%2C+may%5BAuthor%5D&sort=

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=tee%2C+may%5BAuthor%5D&size=50 

1: Kanzaki LF, Chu QD, Tee MC. Invited Commentary: Functional Frailty
Assessment. J Am Coll Surg. 2025 Sep 1;241(3):379-380. doi:
10.1097/XCS.0000000000001365. Epub 2025 Aug 14. PMID: 39992095.

2: Lee B, Odusanya E, Nizam W, Johnson A, Tee MC. Race norming and biases in
surgical oncology care. J Surg Oncol. 2024 Dec;130(7):1455-1474. doi:
10.1002/jso.27831. Epub 2024 Aug 27. PMID: 39190462.

3: Tee MC, Kendrick ML, Farnell MB. Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Is It
an Effective Procedure for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma? Adv Surg.
2015;49:143-56. doi: 10.1016/j.yasu.2015.03.003. Epub 2015 Jun 25. PMID:
26299496.

4: Sedinkin JD, Le VH, Tee MC, Franko J, Lin M, Raman SR. Robotic Resection of a
Large Pelvic Schwannoma. Dis Colon Rectum. 2024 Mar 1;67(3):e198. doi:
10.1097/DCR.0000000000002938. Epub 2023 Dec 5. PMID: 38064207.

5: Tee MC, Cao Y, Warnock GL, Hu FB, Chavarro JE. Effect of bariatric surgery on
oncologic outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Surg Endosc. 2013
Dec;27(12):4449-56. doi: 10.1007/s00464-013-3127-9. Epub 2013 Aug 16. PMID:
23949484; PMCID: PMC4018832.

6: Edwards JP, Ho AL, Tee MC, Dixon E, Ball CG. Wound protectors reduce surgical
site infection: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Ann Surg. 2012
Jul;256(1):53-9. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e3182570372. PMID: 22584694.

7: Brahmbhatt RD, Tee MC, Franko J. Robotic Isolated Caudate Lobectomy for
Solitary Colorectal Liver Metastasis. Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 Dec;28(13):8236-8237.
doi: 10.1245/s10434-021-10321-6. Epub 2021 Jun 30. PMID: 34195901.

8: Franko J, Chamberlain DM, James AB, Collins A, Tee MC, Le VH, Frankova D.
Rising Incidence of Peri-Operative Bactibilia among Patients Undergoing Complex
Biliopancreatic Surgery. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2022 Feb;23(1):47-52. doi:
10.1089/sur.2021.131. Epub 2021 Oct 7. PMID: 34619058.

9: Olivencia MN, Lam NB, Stewart S, Miller-Hammond K, Johnson S, Nembhard CE,
Tee MC. Disparities in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Surgical Residency
Education: A Systematic Review. Am Surg. 2025 Sep;91(9):1405-1418. doi:
10.1177/00031348251329472. Epub 2025 May 7. PMID: 40333052.

10: Franko J, Brahmbhatt R, Tee M, Raman S, Ferrel B, Gorvet M, Andres M.
Cellular Immunoprofile of Peritoneal Environment During a HIPEC Procedure. Ann
Surg Oncol. 2020 Dec;27(13):5005-5013. doi: 10.1245/s10434-020-08870-3. Epub
2020 Jul 21. PMID: 32696309.

11: Ferrel B, Franko J, Tee MC. Rare case of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour
presenting as paraneoplastic hypercalcaemia. BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Apr
15;14(4):e240786. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-240786. PMID: 33858893; PMCID:
PMC8054046.

12: Tee MC, Krajewski AC, Groeschl RT, Farnell MB, Nagorney DM, Kendrick ML,
Cleary SP, Smoot RL, Croome KP, Truty MJ. Indications and Perioperative Outcomes
for Pancreatectomy with Arterial Resection. J Am Coll Surg. 2018
Aug;227(2):255-269. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2018.05.001. Epub 2018 May 9.
PMID: 29752997.

13: Franko J, Raman S, Krishnan N, Frankova D, Tee MC, Brahmbhatt R, Goldman CD,
Weigel RJ. Randomized Trial of Perioperative Probiotics Among Patients
Undergoing Major Abdominal Operation. J Am Coll Surg. 2019
Dec;229(6):533-540.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2019.09.002. Epub 2019 Sep 25.
PMID: 31562911.

14: Nasef KE, Chu QD, Nembhard CE, Tee MC. Surgeon Well-Being and Marital
Stability. J Am Coll Surg. 2025 Oct 6. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001485. Epub
ahead of print. PMID: 41051113.

15: Tee MC, Brahmbhatt RD, Franko J. Robotic Resection of Type I Hilar
Cholangiocarcinoma with Intrapancreatic Bile Duct Dissection. Ann Surg Oncol.
2022 Feb;29(2):964-969. doi: 10.1245/s10434-021-10811-7. Epub 2021 Oct 6. PMID:
34613533.

16: Franko J, Raman S, Patel S, Petree B, Lin M, Tee MC, Le VH, Frankova D.
Survival and cancer recurrence after short-course perioperative probiotics in a
randomized trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2024 Apr;60:59-64. doi:
10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.01.003. Epub 2024 Jan 11. PMID: 38479940.

17: Baragada S, Petree B, Tee M, Frankova D, Raman S, Franko J. Differences in
Resident Self-Evaluation and Clinical Competency Committee Evaluation Using
ACGME Milestone Versions 1.0 and 2.0. J Surg Educ. 2023 Oct;80(10):1378-1384.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.07.005. Epub 2023 Aug 10. PMID: 37573192.

18: Tee MC, Chen L, Franko J, Edwards JP, Raman S, Ball CG. Effect of wound
protectors on surgical site infection in patients undergoing whipple procedure.
HPB (Oxford). 2021 Aug;23(8):1185-1195. doi: 10.1016/j.hpb.2020.11.1146. Epub
2020 Dec 15. PMID: 33334675.

19: Hassan M, Ayad M, Nembhard C, Hayes-Dixon A, Lin A, Janjua M, Franko J, Tee
M. Artificial Intelligence Compared to Manual Selection of Prospective Surgical
Residents. J Surg Educ. 2025 Jan;82(1):103308. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2024.103308.
Epub 2024 Nov 6. PMID: 39509905.

20: Davis DD, Tee MC, Kowal J, Holmes DT, Wiseman SM. Streamlining of intra-
operative parathyroid hormone measurements for cure during parathyroidectomy. Am
J Surg. 2013 May;205(5):597-601; discussion 601. doi:
10.1016/j.amjsurg.2013.01.027. PMID: 23592169.

21: Tee MC, Croome KP, Shubert CR, Farnell MB, Truty MJ, Que FG, Reid-Lombardo
KM, Smoot RL, Nagorney DM, Kendrick ML. Laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy does
not completely mitigate increased perioperative risks in elderly patients. HPB
(Oxford). 2015 Oct;17(10):909-18. doi: 10.1111/hpb.12456. Epub 2015 Aug 20.
PMID: 26294338; PMCID: PMC4571759.

22: Franko J, Le VH, Tee MC, Lin M, Sedinkin J, Raman S, Frankova D. Signet ring
cell carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract: National trends on treatment
effects and prognostic outcomes. Cancer Treat Res Commun. 2021;29:100475. doi:
10.1016/j.ctarc.2021.100475. Epub 2021 Oct 11. PMID: 34655861.

23: Tee MC, Chen L, Peightal D, Franko J, Kim PT, Brahmbhatt RD, Raman S,
Scudamore CH, Chung SW, Segedi M. Minimally invasive hepatectomy is associated
with decreased morbidity and resource utilization in the elderly. Surg Endosc.
2020 Nov;34(11):5030-5040. doi: 10.1007/s00464-019-07298-5. Epub 2019 Dec 9.
PMID: 31820156.

24: Dror V, Kalynyak TB, Bychkivska Y, Frey MH, Tee M, Jeffrey KD, Nguyen V,
Luciani DS, Johnson JD. Glucose and endoplasmic reticulum calcium channels
regulate HIF-1beta via presenilin in pancreatic beta-cells. J Biol Chem. 2008
Apr 11;283(15):9909-16. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M710601200. Epub 2008 Jan 3. PMID:
18174159.

25: Tee MC, Chan SK, Nguyen V, Strugnell SS, Yang J, Jones S, Tiwari P, Levine
DS, Wiseman SM. Incremental value and clinical impact of neck sonography for
primary hyperparathyroidism: a risk-adjusted analysis. Can J Surg. 2013
Oct;56(5):325-31. doi: 10.1503/cjs.015612. PMID: 24067517; PMCID: PMC3788011.

26: Johnson JD, Ao Z, Ao P, Li H, Dai LJ, He Z, Tee M, Potter KJ, Klimek AM,
Meloche RM, Thompson DM, Verchere CB, Warnock GL. Different effects of FK506,
rapamycin, and mycophenolate mofetil on glucose-stimulated insulin release and
apoptosis in human islets. Cell Transplant. 2009;18(8):833-45. doi:
10.3727/096368909X471198. Epub 2009 Apr 10. PMID: 19500470.

27: Tee MC, Shubert CR, Ubl DS, Habermann EB, Nagorney DM, Que FG. Preoperative
anemia is associated with increased use of hospital resources in patients
undergoing elective hepatectomy. Surgery. 2015 Oct;158(4):1027-36; discussion
1036-8. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2015.06.004. Epub 2015 Jul 7. PMID: 26162941.

28: Bergquist JR, Ivanics T, Storlie CB, Groeschl RT, Tee MC, Habermann EB,
Smoot RL, Kendrick ML, Farnell MB, Roberts LR, Gores GJ, Nagorney DM, Truty MJ.
Implications of CA19-9 elevation for survival, staging, and treatment sequencing
in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A national cohort analysis. J Surg Oncol.
2016 Sep;114(4):475-82. doi: 10.1002/jso.24381. Epub 2016 Jul 20. PMID:
27439662; PMCID: PMC6038702.

29: Tee MC, Pirozzi N, Brahmbhatt RD, Raman S, Franko J. Oncologic and surgical
outcomes for gastric cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy differ by race in
the United States. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2020 Oct;46(10 Pt A):1941-1947. doi:
10.1016/j.ejso.2020.05.014. Epub 2020 May 16. PMID: 32466860.

30: Tee MC, Chandler T, Hlynsky J, Aleem A. Images of cecal volvulus from a
strangulating fallopian tube: a case report. J Clin Med Res. 2011
Oct;3(5):258-61. doi: 10.4021/jocmr661w. Epub 2011 Sep 26. PMID: 22383914;
PMCID: PMC3279488.

31: Tee MC, Ubl DS, Habermann EB, Nagorney DM, Kendrick ML, Sarr MG, Truty MJ,
Que FG, Reid-Lombardo K, Smoot RL, Farnell MB. Metabolic Syndrome is Associated
with Increased Postoperative Morbidity and Hospital Resource Utilization in
Patients Undergoing Elective Pancreatectomy. J Gastrointest Surg. 2016
Jan;20(1):189-98; discussion 198. doi: 10.1007/s11605-015-3007-9. Epub 2015 Nov
9. PMID: 26553267.

32: Tee M, Vos P, Zetler P, Wiseman SM. Incidental littoral cell angioma of the
spleen. World J Surg Oncol. 2008 Aug 19;6:87. doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-6-87. PMID:
18713469; PMCID: PMC2527567.

33: Chen L, Zhao Y, Chen Z, Tee M, Mao Y, Zhou LF. Multiple dynamic cavernous
malformations in a girl: long-term follow-up. Surg Neurol. 2009
Dec;72(6):728-32. doi: 10.1016/j.surneu.2009.04.002. Epub 2009 Jul 14. PMID:
19604555.

34: Croome KP, Tee M, Nagorney DM, Truty MJ, Reid-Lombardo KM, Que FG, Kendrick
ML, Farnell MB. Pancreatoduodenectomy for Chronic Pancreatitis-Results of a Pain
Relief and Quality of Life Survey 15 Years Following Operation. J Gastrointest
Surg. 2015 Dec;19(12):2146-53. doi: 10.1007/s11605-015-2928-7. Epub 2015 Sep 2.
PMID: 26334250.

35: Tee MC, Holmes DT, Wiseman SM. Ionized vs serum calcium in the diagnosis and
management of primary hyperparathyroidism: which is superior? Am J Surg. 2013
May;205(5):591-6; discussion 596. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2013.01.017. PMID:
23592168.