Information for:

Resources

Zachary Klaassen

Program Director

Zachary Klaassen

Program Director

Associate Professor

Academic Appointment(s)

Medical College of Georgia
Department of Surgery: Urology

Medical College of Georgia
Department of Urology

Bio

Dr. Klaassen was born in rural Canada and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Following an undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University, he attended medical school at St. George's University in Grenada, followed by clinical rotations and a research fellowship in the metro New York area. After completing his Urology residency in Augusta, he spent two years in Toronto as a Society of Urologic Oncology fellow, also obtaining a Masters of Science degree from the University of Toronto in Clinical Epidemiology. Away from the hospital, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids (preferably on a golf course). He is a rabid fan of college and professional sports, including hockey, golf, football and baseball.

  • ZKLAASSEN@augusta.edu
  • (706) 721-2519
  • BA 8412

Education

  • MD, Medicine St. George University, 2010

Certifications

  • PHY GA Medical Board, 2018

  • PHY GA Medical Board, 2018

  • PHY GA Medical Board, 2011

Awards & Honors

  • Best Reviewer Journal of Urology, 2019

  • Outstanding Young Clinical Scientist, Distinguished Faculty Recognition Award Augusta University, 2018

  • Star Reviewer Urologic Oncology, 2018

  • Star Reviewer Urologic Oncology, 2017

Courses Taught Most Recent Academic Year

  • SURG 5000

    Basic Clkshp in SURG: Basic Surgery Clerkship

  • SURG 5007

    Surgery Sub-I: Surgery Sub I, Urology

  • RURO 5000

    Urology

  • SURG 5350

    Urology Externship

Teaching Interests

Dr. Klaassen is interested in the treatment of patients with urologic malignancies, including prostate, bladder, kidney, testis and penile cancer. He uses both open and minimally invasive (ie. robotic surgery) surgical techniques to treat his patients.

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

  • 245. Wallis CJ, Jerath A, Ikesu R, Satkunasivam R, Dimick JB, Orav Ej, Maggard-Gibbons M, Li R, Salles A, Klaassen Z, Coburn N, Bass BL, Detsky AS, Tsugawa Y. Association between patient-surgeon gender concordance and mortality after surgery in the United States: Retrospective observational study. BMJ. 2023 Nov 22;383e075484., 2023
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • 242. Wallis CJD, Jerath A, Aninoltejari K, Kaneshwaran K, Salles A, Coburn N, Wright FC, Gotlib Conn L, Klaassen Z, Luckenbaugh AN, Ranganathan S, Riveros C, McCartney C, Armstrong K, Bass B, Detsky AS, Satkunasivam R. Surgeon Sex and Long-Term Postoperative Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Common Surgeries. JAMA Surg. 2023 Nov 1;158(11):1185-1194, 2023
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • 244. Dynamus K, Friedrich NA, Howard LE, Oyekunle T, De Hoedt AM, Labadzhyan A, Polascik T, Klaassen Z, Freedland SJ. Are higher follicle-stimulating hormone levels before androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer associated with oncological and cardiac outcomes and overall survival? – A population-level analysis. Trans Androl Urol. 2023 Oct 31;12(10):1540-1549., 2023
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • 241. Riveros C, Ranganathan S, Huang E, Ordonez A, Xu J, Geng M, Miles BJ, Esnaola N, Klaassen Z, Jerath A, Kim SJ, Wallis CJD, Satkunasivam R. Glomerular hyperfiltration is an independent predictor of postoperative outcomes: A NSQIP multi-specialty surgical cohort analysis. Nephrology (Carlton). 2023 Oct;28(10):548-556. , 2023
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • 240. Sergeyev A, Gu L, De Hoedt AM, Amling CL, Aronson WJ, Cooperberg MR, Kane CJ, Klaassen Z, Terris MK, Guerrios-Rivera L, Freedland SJ, Csizmadi I. Diabetes and prostate cancer outcomes in men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Results from the SEARCH cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 Sep 1:32(9):1208-1216, 2023
    Journal Article, Academic Journal

Research Interests

Dr. Klaassen's research interests include:
1) Mental health and cancer survivorship
2) Clinical epidemiological aspects of urologic malignancies
3) Clinical trials
4) Translational research focusing on biomarkers for early detection of cancer and predictors of response to treatment
Philosophy of Care Dr. Klaassen believes in taking the cancer journey together with his patients and their families. He focuses on the treatment of not only the cancer, but other side effects of diagnosis/treatment, which may include physical and emotional aspects.

College Service

  • Faculty Recognition Committee 2020 - 2022

    Role: Committee Member

  • Medical School Admissions 2016 - 2018

    Role: Committee Member

Professional Service

  • European Urology 2018 - Present

    Role: Editorial Review Board Member

  • Augusta University 2019 - 2022

    Role: Reviewer, Grant Proposal

  • European Urology 2019 - 2022

    Role: Editor

  • Psycho-Oncology 2019 - 2022

    Role: Reviewer, Journal Article

  • Young Urologic Oncologists 2019 - 2022

    Role: Committee Member

Public Service

  • 100 Black Men of Augusta 2021 - Present

    Role: Guest Speaker

  • River Ridge Elementary School Horizons Program 2019 - 2022

    Role: Guest Speaker

  • Augusta University 2012 - 2013

    Role: Program Organizer