John A. Olson Jr., MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Surgery
William K. Bixby Professor
Section of Surgical Oncology
Division of General Surgery
Surgeon-in-Chief, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Phone: 314-362-2280
Specialties
- Endocrine surgery
- Hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid surgery
- Thyroid cancer and thyroid surgery
- Breast cancer and breast surgery
- Melanoma and melanoma surgery
Call for patient appointments: 314-362-2280
Meet Dr. Olson
Dr. John A. Olson Jr. is the chair of the Department of Surgery at WashU Medicine, where he is the William K. Bixby Endowed Professor. He is surgeon-in-chief of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Olson specializes in endocrine surgery with a focus on surgical diseases of the parathyroid and thyroid glands, and in surgical oncology including breast cancer and melanoma. He is an experienced, high volume parathyroid and thyroid surgeon. He also has advanced the use of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy to enable women needing mastectomy to successfully preserve their breast with smaller surgery.
His NIH-funded research laboratory investigates the molecular pathogenesis of parathyroid tumors, and his clinical research has focused on novel neoadjuvant therapies for breast cancer and biomarkers of breast cancer clinical outcomes.
Dr. Olson joined the faculty at WashU Medicine in 2022 following a 10-year tenure at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, and a 12-year tenure at Duke University Medical School in Durham, North Carolina.
Dr. Olson completed a complex general surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. He completed general surgery residency training at WashU Medicine. During his residency he also was a registrar of the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Olson earned his medical degree and a doctorate at University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainsville.
Our purpose is to improve the health and wellbeing of the patients we serve, but also, through our research and education, to impact the health of patients we will never meet.
Dr. Olson
Degrees
Medical Degree
University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainsville, FL
1992
Doctorate
University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainsville, FL
Residency
General Surgery Residency
WashU Medicine, St. Louis, MO
1998
Fellowship
Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY
2000
Research interests
A recipient of multiple NIH grants, Dr. Olson achieved recognition for his groundbreaking basic science and clinical research on endocrine tumor formation. In particular, his work has led to a greater understanding of how excessive hormone and calcium levels can contribute to tumor development and disease, with a particular focus on how hyperparathyroidism leads to parathyroid neoplasia. His research team reported the first isolation and functional characterization of parathyroid cell subtypes from parathyroid tumors, findings that have enabled the field to home in on the disease’s development and trajectory. Further, his clinical research has focused on novel endocrine therapies aimed at shrinking breast cancer tumors and determining biomarkers related to breast cancer outcomes.
Locations
Gary C. Werths Building at Siteman Cancer Center
4500 Forest Park Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63108
Floors: 5 and 8
Phone: 314-362-2280
Hospital affiliations
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Board certifications
- American Board of Surgery
Dr. Olson in the news
- Surgeon-scientist Olson named head of surgery
- Department of Surgery ranks 2nd nationally in NIH research funding in 2023
- Top Doctors 2024
- Innovative perfusion technology advances surgical training
Professional memberships
2000 – Association for Academic Surgery
2001 – American College of Surgeons Oncology Group
2001 – Society of Surgical Oncology
2002 – Fellow, American College of Surgeons
2004 – Society of University Surgeons
2004 – Sabiston Society
2008 – Surgical Biology Club II
2008 – Southern Surgical Association
2010 – Society of Clinical Surgery
2011 – Halsted Society
2012 – American Surgical Association
Editorial and Review Boards
2010 – Annals of Surgical Oncology, Assoc. Section Editor – Endocrine
2004 – Annals of Surgery, ad hoc reviewer
2011- Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, ad hoc reviewer
2008- Cancer, ad hoc reviewer
2002- Journal of the American College of Surgeons, ad hoc reviewer, September 19, 2021 Page 5 of 26
2013 – Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, ad hoc reviewer
Awards and honors
Fellow (FACS), American College of Surgeons
2011 – present Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctors
2011 – present Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctors for Cancer
2007 – present Best Doctors
2009 – present Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care
2011 – 2013 US News and World Report, Best Doctors, top 1%
(Poll discontinued 2013)
2013 Faculty Marshall, University of Maryland School of Medicine Class of 2013
1992 Graduation with honors, University of Florida
1991 Alpha Omega Alpha, University of Florida
1991 Oppelt Award in Pharmacology, University of Florida
1986 Graduation cum laude, University of Michigan