Dr. Kirgan is currently vice chair of the department of surgery, chief of the division of surgical oncology, and a professor of surgery. He began his career at Montclair State College in New Jersey, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biology. This was followed by a Masters in Biology with a focus on Endocrinology and Immunology. Dr. Kirgan graduated from the George Washington University School of Medicine in 1986 with his MD degree. He did his general surgical residency at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. Following completion of his residency, Dr. Kirgan did a two-year surgical oncology fellowship at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Dr. Kirgan was a full-time faculty member with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Department of Surgery for 25 years and became a full-time faculty member of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV in 2017.

On a national level, Dr. Kirgan has completed a nine-year commitment to the state Chair Liaison Program for the Commission on Cancer for the American College of Surgeons. He has also been on the Board of Governors for the American College of Surgeons for six years.

Dr. Kirgan has been awarded ten teaching awards from residents and medical students. He has been both the primary investigator as well as co-investigator in both initiated grants and industry-associated grants over the years. He has published in peer review journals as well as presented at national and international meetings and has several book chapters. He is a member of multiple surgical societies, including the Alpha Omega Alpha Society, Fellow American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, Association of Academic Surgeons, Society for the Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Southwest Surgical Congress, and Western Surgical Association.

Dr. Kirgan has been recognized as one of Newsweek’s Cancer Surgeons of 2015 and in the Desert Companion magazine as Doctor of the Year from 2013 through 2017.

For patient services, please contact the UNLV Health General Surgery Clinic.