Rachel Wellner, MD, MPH, FACS, a General Surgeon & Breast Surgeon with Caelum Diagnostic Solutions

Get to know General Surgeon & Breast Surgeon Dr. Rachel Wellner, who serves patients throughout the State of California.

Dr. Wellner is a board-certified general surgeon & an accomplished breast surgeon with 20 years experience in oncology. At the forefront of cancer medicine, her trailblazing career is marked by her dedication to patients and her belief in overall wellness.

Serving as the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Caelum Diagnostic Solutions, her mission is to accelerate cancer care by providing immediate tissue biopsy diagnostic results.

Drawn to medicine at a young age, Dr. Wellner was inspired by her father’s work in the medical field. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish Literature from Dartmouth College, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She then went on to attain her medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and later, her Master of Public Health degree from the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, where she also published a textbook, “Aging, Heart Disease, and Its Management” along with other publications. 

Thereafter, Dr. Wellner completed her internship in general surgery and her residency in general surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, followed by her fellowship in breast surgery at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California. 

After witnessing her patients experience the trauma associated with a breast cancer diagnosis along with the psychosocial, emotional, and physical consequences of a surgically altered body, Dr. Wellner dedicated 2 years to pioneering a state-of-the-art Oncoplastics Program at Hackensack University Medical Center. This innovative approach integrates breast cancer tumor removal with reconstructive surgery.

Beginning her career as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Wellner went on to serve as an Attending Physician at The Beth Israel Medical Center. In 2009, after being appointed to be the Director of Breast Services at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, she continued her mission to provide exceptional healthcare and she developed the center into a satellite of the NAPBC-accredited Continuum Cancer Centers of New York.

In 2015, after serving on the surgical faculty at Hackensack University Medical Center, Dr. Wellner accepted the position of Senior Breast Surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center. She saw patients immediately after they had been diagnosed with breast cancer to develop an aggressive and comprehensive treatment plan with them. At that time, she had established a stellar reputation and was at the forefront of cancer medicine. 

Recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Dr. Wellner is also a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Society of Breast Surgery.

Holding licensing in New York, New Jersey, and California, she is board-certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABS is an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge.

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and other body systems. A general surgeon performs a wide range of surgeries for many forms of intestinal and abdominal wall neoplasms, gallbladder disease, gastric and biliary disease. They follow the patient through critical care and surgical recovery all the way to outpatient care.

Breast surgery is a form of surgery performed on the breast. A breast surgeon is usually a general surgeon who is especially skilled in operating on the breast. They may biopsy a tumor in the breast and, if it is malignant, remove the tumor. They may also do breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for breast cancer.

Guided by her philosophy that everyone deserves quality healthcare regardless of socioeconomic states, Dr. Wellner has founded several medical programs around the developing world, including an international training program for Surgical Residents. 

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Hebrew, she has worked abroad in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, India, and other areas. She was also a delegate member of Susan G. Koeman’s first Israeli Race for the Cure Program in Jerusalem. 

Alongside her international humanitarian work, Dr. Wellner served as project coordinator in collaboration with WPIX 11 for the Project Renewal ScanVan, the country’s first mobile mammography and radiology clinic for homeless and uninsured adults. ScanVan provides clinical breast exams, mammograms, tuberculosis tests, and health education to homeless and low-income men and women throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City.

Truly embodying the values of her oath, Dr. Wellner has numerous publications, talks, TV appearances and features, along with myriad awards for her global humanitarian work and professional accomplishments. Notably, in 2008, she received The Arnold P. Gold Foundation Award for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and The University of Connecticut Health Center Auxiliary Award in recognition of clinical and academic excellence. 

Recently, she won the Founder’s Award from Latina SHARE, a group she has worked extensively with to provide breast education and resources to Hispanic women.

Learn more about Dr. Rachel Wellner:

Through her findatopdoc profile, https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/1764379-Rachel-Wellner-surgical-oncologist-New-York-NY-10013, through her website, https://drrachelwellner.com/meet-rachel-wellner/ or through Caelum Diagnostic Solutions, https://caelumds.com/our-team

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