Jill B. Watras, MD

Jill Watras, MD, is double board certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Watras and the general surgery team in Norwalk provide care for both general and complex surgical needs, including:

• General emergency surgery (e.g. appendicitis, gallbladder disease, intestinal obstruction, severe soft tissue infection, traumatic injuries)
• Open and laparoscopic approaches to cholecystectomy
• Simple and complex hernia repair
• Da Vinci ® robotic-assisted surgery
• Management of complex surgical wounds
• Colectomy
• Bowel resection
• Skin and soft tissue surgery
• Appendectomy
• Mass excision and benign tumor removal
• Surgical critical care and trauma

She volunteers on national committees related to these topics. She also has a strong interest in providing surgical education and is an instructor in nationally recognized programs. Originally from Michigan, she loves the outdoors and can be found enjoying nature during her time away from the hospital.

Why should someone choose you to care for their health?
I focus on providing up-to-date medical care for all of my patients. It is very important to me that my patients understand their diagnosis and that we address the medical issue as a team.

What is the most important thing your patients should expect from their professional relationship with you? What do you expect from them?
My patients can expect me to give them all of their options and help them choose what is right for them. In return, I want them to ask questions and express any concerns so that we can have a trusting relationship.

How do you spend your valuable personal time when you’re not caring for patients?
When I am not working, I am spending time with my husband, children and 2 dogs.

Why did you choose your specialty and what is its greatest reward?
I chose surgery because I can fix someone and help them move forward. Needing surgery or being injured is never something that we plan on, so I always try to put myself in my patient’s shoes to appreciate how this is affecting their life. The greatest reward is seeing a patient in the office after they’ve been discharged and seeing the progress in recovery.