Luke R. Putnam, MD

Dr. Putnam is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He has a particular focus on minimally invasive techniques because they offer shorter stays in the hospital and more comfortable recoveries.

After founding and running a nonprofit organization in Latin America, Dr. Putnam obtained his MD from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Mexico, where he graduated as valedictorian. He went on to complete his surgical training at the University of California, Irvine, where he was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society for exemplary and compassionate care. He then came to the Keck School of Medicine of USC for specialty training in Advanced Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery and is now full-time faculty.

Along the way, Dr. Putnam obtained a Masters in Clinical Research through the Center for Surgical Trials and Evidence-Based Practice at the University of Texas / MD Anderson Cancer Center. His current research interests are on optimizing surgical techniques and postoperative care to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Putnam speaks English and Spanish.