Carla F. Justiniano, MD, MPH, FACS, FASCRS

Scott R. Steele, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS, FPSCRS (Hon.)

Dr. Carla F. Justiniano is a staff Colon and Rectal Surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, where she is also an Associate Clerkship Director for Surgery. Carla was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, United States, and grew up in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, until she moved to Cincinnati at age 9. She eventually received her B.S. degree in Molecular Genetics, with Research Distinction at The Ohio State University, graduating “cum laude.” She then went on to medical school at The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio, United States, prior to performing her General Surgery Residency training and Master of Public Health at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States. In 2021, she came to Cleveland, where I had the opportunity to meet and work with Carla, while she completed her Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency training at the Cleveland Clinic.

Carla has a very busy clinical practice and enjoys educating her patients and helping them understand their situation as well as treatment options and recommendations. While she practices in all aspects of colorectal surgery, she especially enjoys positively changing the life course for her IBD and cancer patients.

Carla also has had an extensive history in award-winning research and was recently awarded the Central Surgical Association's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee's 2025 Travel Scholarship for Historically and Intentionally Excluded Populations Recipient. Even at this relatively early stage in her career, she has published multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and has lectured around the United States on various topics of colorectal surgery. Despite this, she maintains a busy clinical schedule along with teaching medical students and residents. She is also actively involved with several national committees for the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the Central Surgical Association. She serves as a reviewer for several national and international peer-reviewed journals, including “Surgery, American Journal of Surgery, Surgical Endoscopy” and “Diseases of the Colon & Rectum.”

Carla is married to Chris, a lawyer, and enjoys exercising, riding her Peloton, hanging out with her miniature Schnauzers, traveling, and listening to Bad Bunny. She also enjoys playing and watching tennis. On a personal note, it has been wonderful to watch her evolve from a colorectal fellow into an emerging thought-leader in colorectal surgery. No doubt, you will glean her passion for treating colorectal disease and caring for her patients. On behalf of the readers and staff of “Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery,” I want to sincerely thank Dr. Justiniano for serving as a Guest Editor and for providing us with an incredible issue on an important topic of “Challenges in Organ-Sparing Approaches to Rectal Cancer.”

Publication History

Article published online:
08 January 2026