Seattle native Clancy J. Clark, MD, FACS, is board-certified in General Surgery and Clinical Informatics, with fellowship training in liver and pancreas surgery. He specializes in minimally invasive and robotic approaches to liver, bile duct, and pancreatic surgery, focusing on both cancerous and benign conditions.
Dr. Clark’s path to medicine was deeply influenced by personal experiences. His brother’s battle with Crohn’s Disease and his grandfather’s painful fight with pancreatic cancer inspired him to pursue a career in surgery. These formative experiences continue to shape his patient-centered approach to care.
Before entering medical school, Dr. Clark graduated from Brown University and launched his career as a health services researcher at the Cross Cultural Health Care Program. His work focused on disparities in care, social determinants of health, and access-to-care for underserved communities. His research sought to improve outcomes for low-income and non-English-speaking patients — a mission that continues to inform his approach to healthcare equity.
In 2000, Dr. Clark and his wife relocated to Columbus, Ohio, where he began his medical training at The Ohio State University. After earning multiple honors and awards as a medical student, he returned to Seattle to complete his General Surgery residency at Virginia Mason Medical Center. He then moved to Rochester, Minnesota, for fellowship training at Mayo Clinic.
During his fellowship, Dr. Clark gained advanced expertise in the surgical management of complex liver, bile duct, and pancreatic diseases. He performed numerous procedures to treat liver and pancreatic cancer and developed specialized skills to manage non-cancer conditions such as bile duct injury, bile duct stricture, acute and chronic pancreatitis, liver transplant, and benign liver tumors. In recognition of his excellence in teaching, he was honored with the Mayo Clinic General Surgery Fellowship Teaching Award.
In 2012, Dr. Clark joined the Section of Surgical Oncology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine as an attending surgeon. Over the next decade, he rose to the rank of Associate Professor of Surgery and held several key leadership roles, including Associate Program Director of the General Surgery Residency, Surgical Director of the Center for Experiential and Applied Learning, and Chair of the Intramural Research Support Committee. He was honored with the Wake Forest General Surgery Residency Teaching Award and the Medical Student Teaching Award for his dedication to surgical education.
Dr. Clark’s commitment to medical research is reflected in his service on key oversight committees at Wake Forest, including the Institutional Review Board, the Comprehensive Cancer Center Protocol Review Committee, and the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee. These roles reflect his dedication to upholding the highest ethical standards in clinical research.
Nationally, Dr. Clark is a respected leader in the field of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. He has led pivotal clinical trials for the Alliance and served on the Executive Committee for High-Risk GI Surgery for the American College of Surgeons. His influence extends across several prominent surgical societies, where he has chaired national committees for the SSAT, SESC, ASC, and AHPBA. Through these roles, he has contributed to national policy development, surgical education, and research initiatives that shape the future of surgery.
Today, Dr. Clark serves as the Director of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. His practice focuses on the surgical treatment of pancreatic, bile duct, and liver cancers, as well as benign disorders of the liver and pancreas, including acute and chronic pancreatitis. His approach emphasizes minimally invasive and robotic surgical techniques to reduce complications, accelerate recovery, and improve patient outcomes.
Dr. Clark’s overarching goal is to improve the safety, quality, and precision of complex liver and pancreas surgery. Inspired by the ever-evolving landscape of therapies and technologies, he remains dedicated to advancing surgical care, empowering patients and their families with information, and driving innovation within the healthcare industry.
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