USF Department of Surgery

I'm currently working as an Assistant Professor in the University of South Florida Physician Assistant Program. On Fridays, I continue to provide care to patients that require same day (acute care) appointments for USF Family Medicine.

I grew up in California and Oregon enjoying beaches and the mountains. After high school I began my medical career in the United States Air Force as a Medic, serving at home and abroad. From there I earned my Bachelor of Nursing degree from the University of South Florida. I practiced as a bedside nurse for 5 years while going back to school to earn my doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner, also from USF. I then joined the team hear at USF Internal Medicine and Pediatrics where I have been proudly serving this community since 2020.

Dr. Karyn Gerstle is a dedicated general pediatrician who specializes in nutrition and lactation medicine. She is a board certified lactation consultant and is available to work with families for visits that include well child care and breastfeeding support. She also helps to coordinate the healthy lifestyle program at USF, which includes a series of visits that provides support for children experiencing obesity, metabolic syndrome, or lifestyle factors such as stress that impact overall wellbeing. In addition to her clinical experience, she also has a passion for medical education and serves as faculty for the USF Pediatric Residency Program, and as the Pediatric Medicine Clerkship Director for the Morsani College of Medicine.

Dr. Katlaps received his medical degree from the Medical Academy of Latvia, completed general surgery training at Stanford University Medical Center and his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Katlaps completed a second fellowship in Europe at the Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK, where he gained extensive knowledge in heart and lung transplantation, ventricular assist devices, complex aortic and mitral valve surgery, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Katlaps then accepted a position at Medical College of Virginia, now VCUHS, serving as the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of Programs of Heart and Transplantation and Mechanical Assist Devices at McGuire Richmond VAMC. He has served on boards of several professional organizations, including two terms as the Chairman of the Transplant Surgery Advisory Board at the Department of Veteran Affairs National Surgery Office.

Dr. Hernandez joined the USF faculty in 2009 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016. A native of Tampa, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Molecular Biology at Vanderbilt University and Medical School and Urology Residency at Johns Hopkins University. He has been teaching residents at University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital since 2009. Dr Hernandez uses a combination of minimally invasive and novel techniques with traditional approaches to provide patients with the best outcomes and the highest patient safety. Dr. Hernandez's areas of concentration include urologic oncology, prostate and renal malignancies, kidney stones and benign prostatic hypertrophy, as well as minimally invasive surgical treatment modalities.