A native of New Orleans, Dr. Sawaya received his M.D. from the LSU Medical Center, New Orleans, in 1994. He completed a general surgery residency in 2000 at the LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, where he served as chief administrative surgical resident from 1999-2000.

Sawaya practiced as a general surgeon in Opelousas, La. for five years with the Acadiana Surgical Clinic, Doctors’ Hospital of Opelousas and Opelousas General Hospital. He returned to training in 2005 and completed a pediatric surgery fellowship from 2005-2007 at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md. He joins the UMMC faculty after serving one year as an assistant professor of pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

A fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Sawaya is certified by the American Board of Surgery with special certification in pediatric surgery. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the American Pediatric Surgical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.