UMHC cancer surgeon earns certification in breast ultrasound

Dr. Sharla Gayle Patterson, who specializes in breast surgery and is fellowship-trained in breast surgical oncology, has earned certification in breast ultrasound from the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

Patterson sees patients through University of Mississippi Health Care, a part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is the only breast surgeon in Jackson with this distinction, and she joins two other surgeons in the state who have received the certification, one in Cleveland and one in Starkville.

Patterson said breast ultrasound helps her evaluate new issues in a patient by planning for surgical treatment, performing biopsies, and by providing guidance in the operating room.

The certification demonstrates a dedication to quality patient care and public safety through adherence to established standards for performance and training in breast ultrasound, Patterson said.

A 2000 graduate of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Patterson completed a dual M.D./M.B.A. program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. After a general surgery internship from 2004-05 and a general surgery residency from 2005-09 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala., Patterson completed breast surgery fellowship at Emory University, Atlanta.