Protected: Our History

It was 1963 when George J. Farha, MD, established his private surgical practice in Wichita, Kansas, and the following year when his brother S. Jim Farha, MD, joined him. In 1967, the two brothers added a third surgeon to their practice, David E. Street, MD, beginning the formation of Wichita Surgical Specialists.

Its founders never set out to establish a large practice. In fact, their goal was pragmatic: To recruit the best surgical specialists they could find so that the people of Wichita did not have to leave town every time they needed surgery. At one time, Wichita Surgical Specialists was among the largest private surgical groups in the nation. The Farha brothers played a major role in Wichita’s development as a medical hub, and were instrumental in recruiting surgeons who performed the first kidney, heart and pancreatic transplants in Wichita.

Dr. George Farha served as chairman of the Wichita Surgical Specialists board until 1998. He was also among the founders of the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita in 1971, where he taught for more than three decades. Drs. George and Jim Farha were passionate about teaching, and saw it as an investment in the quality of medical education. In 1998, the WSU Foundation established the George J. & S. Jim Farha Pre-Med Student Endowed Scholarship.

Their contribution to the Wichita community and the medical industry is beyond measure, and we are proud to continue this legacy. Today, Wichita Surgical Specialists is led by Dr. George and Dr. Jim’s nephew, Alex Ammar, MD.

We are grateful for the trust and support of our patients and the Wichita community throughout our many years, and will continue to meet the surgical needs of our patients for years to come.