Kendell Sowards, M.D., FACS, FASMBS, is an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences and serves as the surgery clerkship director at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. A board-certified general surgeon with specialized training in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery.

In her role at the College of Medicine, Sowards leads clerkship training for medical students, drawing on her extensive clinical background to prepare future physicians in surgical decision-making, procedural skills, and team-based care. She also serves as a mentor for medical students and surgical residents, emphasizing excellence, leadership, and compassion in the surgical profession.

Sowards’ clinical interests include robotic-assisted and minimally invasive surgical techniques, and care for patients with the disease of obesity. She has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications on critical care, surgical outcomes, and minimally invasive techniques. Her work has been presented at national surgical meetings, and she is a frequent speaker at institutional grand rounds and educational seminars focused on obesity treatment and surgical education.

She completed her medical degree and general surgery residency at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, where she also pursued a fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery. In addition, she completed a research fellowship in trauma and critical care surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Texas at Austin.

Sowards is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She is an active member of professional societies including the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the Texas Association for Bariatric Surgery. Her leadership has extended to hospital committees in infection prevention, robotic surgery, and surgical quality improvement.

Through her academic, clinical, and mentorship roles, Sowards is committed to advancing surgical education and improving outcomes for patients with complex metabolic and gastrointestinal conditions.