Author: Anthony Squillaro

Laila Rashidi, MD, FACS, FASCRS, is a double board-certified colorectal surgeon practicing Multi-care Health Care System. Dr. Rashidi interests lie in providing minimally invasive treatments for conditions of the colon, rectum, and anus through the use of robotic, laparoscopic, trans anal and natural orifice techniques for sphincter preservation.

Dr. Rashidi is the Program director for National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), medical director for colorectal surgery, chair of robotic committee and she is a program director of Minimal Invasive surgery fellowship at MultiCare Health System. Dr. Rashidi graduated in Engineering from University of Tehran. She then moved to U.S. to pursue her medical training, ultimately receiving her Doctorate of Medicine from Ross University. She then competed her General Surgery residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch, followed by Colorectal Surgery fellowship at Swedish Medical Center.

Dr. Rashidi is teaching faculty for APDCRS and SAGES fellow courses. She is the principal investigator of numerous local, and national research projects with the goal to improve the care of patients with colorectal conditions. Dr. Rashidi interests include education, minimally invasive surgery for complex colorectal diseases, and she is an ardent advocate for women in surgery. She founded Women in Northwest Surgery (WINS) in 2019. Her research interests are in rectal cancer, same day discharge colectomy, surgical education, quality and financial outcomes.

Mark Soliman, MD, FACS, FASCRS is a board-certified colon and rectal surgeon. He is the Medical Director of Colorectal Surgery for the AdventHealth Digestive Health and Surgery Institute and also the Department Chairman for Colorectal Surgery. A Florida native and a proud graduate of the University of Florida, he was part of an elite junior medical program through which he earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees with honors by age 23. After serving as Chief Resident at Baptist Health System in Birmingham, AL, he obtained his advanced subspecialty training in Colorectal Surgery at the Colon and Rectal Clinic of Orlando. Dr. Soliman is one of the most recognized colorectal surgeons nationwide in robotic colorectal surgical operations and has written nearly 50 book chapters, scientific abstracts, and manuscripts on this and its related fields.