Natasha Becker, MD, MPH, FACS

Dr. Natasha Becker is the Division Chief of General Surgery and Program Director of the General Surgery Residency Program. 

Dr. Becker graduated summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, before earning her medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, where she was named valedictorian and inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She received multiple accolades for her academic excellence, particularly during her clinical and surgical rotations, and graduated at the top of her class with the highest GPA. 

Dr. Becker completed her general surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, where she also pursued a two-year research fellowship and earned a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health. Following residency, Dr. Becker underwent fellowship training in Surgical Critical Care at Baylor College of Medicine.

She began her career as an Associate in Trauma and Critical Care at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Dr. Becker then returned to Texas to serve as faculty at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston as an Assistant Professor of General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care at the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. She returned to the east coast and the tristate area in 2023 briefly joining the faculty at Hackensack Meridian Health as an assistant professor in Trauma Surgery, Acute Care Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care before joining us here at SUNY Downstate. 

A dedicated educator, Dr. Becker has extensive experience mentoring medical students and residents. She served as Associate Program Director for the general surgery training programs at both Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Hackensack University Medical Center. She chaired the Robotics Committee at the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, where she developed and implemented a comprehensive robotic surgery curriculum. Dr. Becker has also delivered numerous lectures on trauma, critical care, and general surgery, and administered mock oral exams for senior residents both locally and nationally through SAGES. 

In addition to her education career, Dr. Becker is an accomplished researcher. She has served as the primary investigator on a multi-institutional prospective study examining the clinical outcomes of robotic hernia repair using OviTex Tissue Matrix and a sub-investigator on a study focused on optimal transfusion strategies for high-risk cardiac patients. Dr. Becker has authored numerous publications and book chapters on topics including colorectal cancer, hernia repair, appendicitis, diverticulitis, colitis management, and liver transplantation. Her research has been featured in prominent journals, including Liver Transplantation, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Surgery, and Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 

Board-certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Dr. Becker is skilled in advanced open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical techniques, as well as the latest advancements in critical care. As Division Chief of General Surgery, she is committed to providing exceptional care to SUNY Downstate’s surgical patients, and as Residency Program Director, she is dedicated to training the next generation of surgeons with expertise, compassion, and leadership.