William Méndez Latalladi, MD, FACS, is Professor of Surgery and Chief of Endocrine Surgery Section. He has been a former acting Chancellor of the UPR Medical Sciences Campus, Chair of the Department of Surgery, Director of the General Surgery Residency Program and Director of the Surgical Clerkships. He is the first formally trained endocrine surgeon in Puerto Rico and is actively involved as a clinician, educator, and researcher in the Endocrine Surgery field. His elective clinical practice focuses in management of complex surgical disorders of the thyroid gland (functional disorders of the thyroid gland, benign thyroid tumors, mediastinal goiters and thyroid cancer), disorders of the parathyroid gland and adrenal gland tumors and functional disorders. He specializes in minimally invasive surgery of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, complex thyroid, and parathyroid surgery (initial and reoperative), neck dissections for thyroid cancer and open and ROBOTIC adrenalectomy.  His clinical research interests include thyroid cancer, outcomes of surgical management of thyroid diseases, the use of preoperative ultrasound by the surgeon, the use of minimally invasive techniques for parathyroid diseases and adrenal tumors. Dr. Méndez has published several articles and his works have been presented in international, national, and local meetings. His primary hospitals are the UPR Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University Hospital, and the San Juan Municipal Hospital where he works closely with endocrinologists and oncologists and participates in different multidisciplinary conferences in these hospitals. He is also a faculty member of the Trauma and Acute Care Surgery service.

Dr. Méndez is a member of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES) where he has been involved in several committees and task forces. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, member of the American Thyroid Association, Association of Academic Surgery, Southeastern Surgical Congress, and Association of Surgical Education.

Dr. Méndez also has a keen interest in humanities and issues related to Diversity, Equity and inclusion in surgery, medical education, and access to health care. He is also a musician and violinist.