Click on a dropdown below to access surgeon biographies.
Emily Bellavance, MD
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Dr. Emily Bellavance is a board-certified surgical oncologist with years of experience helping cancer patients thrive while combating cancer. Her patients receive a personalized treatment plan that accommodates their lives and families, ensuring quality of life is maintained throughout the process. Dr. Bellavance is the Virginia Surgical Institute’s first breast surgeon and we are thrilled to have her expertise in our practice.
Dr. Bellavance received her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine where she later became a resident in General Surgery. After completing her residency, she was a Fellow at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine’s Surgical Oncology department. She has since been a surgical oncologist for the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, the Baltimore VA Hospital, and Meritus Medical Center; a general surgeon for the Virginia Surgical Institute; and an associate professor of General and Oncologic Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Now she brings her undeniable expertise in surgical oncology to the Virginia Cancer Institute.
Dr. Bellavance maintains memberships with the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the Alliance for Clinical Traits in Oncology to keep abreast of the latest innovations in surgical oncology. Her medical research is published in dozens of medical journals, books, and videos, and she has been invited to present and speak at a number of symposiums and conferences.
Christine Marie Bouchard, MD
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Dr. Christine Bouchard brings over a decade of medical experience to the Virginia Surgical Institute. She is committed to her patients’ well-being with the assurance that they have all of the information needed to undergo surgery comfortably and with a clear mind. She specializes in all aspects of colon and rectal surgery.
Dr. Bouchard received her Doctorate of Medicine from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2004. She continued as an intern and resident at the Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Department of Surgery. During that time, she simultaneously started as an instructor for the American College of Surgeons. She then completed further specialty training in colon and rectal surgery at the John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, Illinois. For over 8 years she worked in Richmond, Virginia as a colon and rectal surgeon with Surgical Associates of Richmond.
Dr. Bouchard is board certified in both colon and rectal surgery and general surgery. She maintains her professional membership at the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. She and her husband, Jim, have four young children. They enjoy camping, rock climbing, fellowship, Disney World, and homeschooling their children.
Bryan A Johnson, MD
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Dr. Bryan Johnson is a dedicated, experienced, and trustworthy surgeon who seeks to provide the finest medical treatment for his patients. Dr. Johnson has a comprehensive background in general surgery and ensures his patients understand all the nuances of their surgical procedures in terms they can understand. He specializes in general surgery with a special interest in advanced gastrointestinal and laparoscopic surgery.
Dr. Johnson received his Doctorate of Medicine from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in 2008. He started as an intern in General Surgery at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey, then became Junior Assistant Resident, then Senior Assistant Resident, and finally Chief Surgical Resident. In 2016, he joined the Surgical Associates of Richmond as a Staff Surgeon.
Dr. Johnson has done numerous medical presentations at the local and national level, including for the Society of American Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons Conference and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He received several awards during his time in medical school, including the Heusner Pupil Award from the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Dr. Johnson has done work in the Dominican Republic and Haiti as a volunteer, lending his medical expertise to help those in need. He has taken several post-graduate courses to ensure he has the most up-to-date medical information to best treat his patients.
In his spare time, Dr. Johnson builds solid and hollow body guitars and enjoys playing volleyball, basketball, and slow-pitch softball. He also loves to fish and spend time outside in beautiful Richmond.
Melissa L. Marinello, MD
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Dr. Marinello brings more than a decade of medical experience to the Virginia Surgical Institute. Her exemplary background in surgical medicine allows her to provide the knowledge patients require when dealing with an upcoming surgery. She listens to each of her patients carefully and creates a plan that combines modern medicine with the comfort of having an experienced surgeon. Dr. Marinello specializes in general surgery, with a special interest in laparoscopic, colon, and gallbladder surgery, hernia repair, and da Vinci procedures.
Dr. Marinello received her Doctorate of Medicine from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2005. She began her residency in General Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University, and then became a Chief Administrative Resident in 2009. From 2010 to 2013, Dr. Marinello worked as an Inpatient Surgical Specialist at Memorial Regional Medical Center. She then worked as an Acute Care General Surgeon for Surgical Associates of Richmond.
Dr. Marinello has received several awards for her work in the field of medicine, including the J. A. Bigger award, the Medical Student Teaching award, the Arnold P. Gold award, and the General Surgery Intern of the Year award. She is published in several medical journals, including Journal of Virology and AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. She is a professional member of several medical societies, including the Richmond Academy of Medicine and the Medical Society of Virginia. Dr. Marinello stays up to date with the most modern medical practices to ensure her patients are receiving the best, most well-rounded care possible.
Dr. Marinello loves all that Richmond has to offer and enjoys taking her four young children to the many museums, musical events, and attractions that the city has to offer.
Amy Rose, MD
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Dr. Amy Rose brings more than two decades of medical expertise to the Virginia Surgical Institute. Dr. Rose works tirelessly with her patients to ensure they receive the best surgical treatment available while in her care. Her dedication to providing the most up-to-date healthcare means her patients can rest assured they are receiving the most well-rounded care possible. She is a minimally invasive surgeon, specializing in laparoscopic surgery.
Dr. Rose received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University and went on to become a Doctor of Medicine through the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Her internship was in General Surgery at the State University of New York Stony Brook before completing her residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She was a research fellow at the University of California before starting on staff in the Department of Surgery at Garden Park Medical Center and the Gulf Coast Medical Center in Mississippi where her husband was stationed in the Air Force. She returned to Virginia in 2004 where she joined the CJW Medical Center, then shortly thereafter the Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center.
Dr. Rose boasts a spot on the list of “Top Docs” in Richmond, VA, from 2010 through 2018 by Richmond Magazine. She also won the honor of Best Educator/Communicator from the Gulf Coast Medical Center from 2001 to 2003. She maintains her membership in a number of professional organizations, including the Association of Women Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons.
While she’s not tending to her patients, Dr. Rose enjoys diving, going on hikes, cooking healthy meals with her family, and studying French language and culture.
D. Michael Rose, MD
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With more than two decades of surgical experience focused on the interdisciplinary management of solid tumors, Dr. D. Michael Rose brings expertise and innovation to the Virginia Surgical Institute. Dr. Rose works with his patients to create a treatment plan that is tailored to their specific medical needs, and he ensures his patients are secure in the knowledge that they are receiving the best possible care. He specializes in general surgery and all aspects of surgical oncology.
Dr. Rose received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Mississippi, then went on to receive his Doctorate of Medicine from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He was a resident at Vanderbilt Medical Center in General Surgery before completing his senior clinical fellowship in surgical oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California. In addition, Dr. Rose spent a year as a Senior Research Fellow at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He moved to Virginia in early 2004 and has been on staff at several local medical centers in Virginia, including serving as Director of Surgical Oncology at the Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital.
Dr. Rose has given countless presentations and is published in many medical books and journals, including American Surgeon, Southern Medical Journal, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Annals of Surgery, and many more. He has received several awards, including several years as “Top Doc” from Richmond Magazine, the Frist Humanitarian Award nominee, and the Surgical Staff Teaching Award. Dr. Rose brings his undeniable expertise in the field of oncology to the Virginia Surgical Institute, joining a team of expert surgeons dedicated to their patients’ health.
Away from work, Dr. Rose enjoys diving, hiking, traveling, and cooking with his wife, Dr. Amy Rose.
Our focus at Virginia Surgical Institute (VSI) is providing the finest, comprehensive care for our patients. With decades of experience in almost all types of surgery, we offer plain language conversations, our undivided attention, and a caring environment throughout the entire process. It is our goal to be there for you every step of the way from diagnosis to recovery.