Dr. Estes received his medical degree from the University of Kansas in 1971, served his internship in straight medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center from 1971 to 1972, and received his residency training in general surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center from 1972 to 1976. He was certified by the American Board of Surgery in 1978. Dr. Estes has attended the Program for Chiefs of Clinical Services and the Advanced Program for Chiefs of Clinical Services at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. A native of Missouri, Dr. Estes was on the faculty at the University of Kentucky as Assistant Professor of Surgery from 1976 to 1978. He served as part-time Attending Surgeon at the University of Missouri-Kansas City while in private practice from 1978 to 1981. He was Associate Professor of Surgery at Indiana University from 1981 to 1984. He returned to the University of Kansas in 1984 and was Professor of Surgery from 1993 until coming to Illinois. He served as Chief of Staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center from 1992 until accepting Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria in 1998. His interest and education as to the importance of quality improvement and hospital systems was developed during this period. Dr. Estes has published numerous articles on surgical oncology. His research interests have focused on tumor proliferation and nutrition as well as Surgical Principal Investigator for national clinical studies in breast and gastrointestinal malignancies. He has won numerous teaching awards and is a student and resident advocate. He has participated on the admissions committee as well as promotion committee in several medical schools. He is currently the Surgical Program Director and is very involved in student education. Dr. Estes currently serves as the Illinois State Co-Chair of the Commission on Cancer and Chair of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine Faculty Appointments, Promotions and Tenure Committee. Dr. Estes is past president of the Midwest Surgical Association and the Warren H. Cole Society. He served on the Executive Board of the Gastrointestinal and Surgery Committees for the Southwestern Oncology Group. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Estes is a member of the American Association of Cancer Education, American Society of Breast Disease, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Association for Academic Surgery, Association for Program Directors in Surgery, Association for Surgical Education, Central Surgical Association, Chicago Surgical Society, Illinois Surgical Society, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, Society of Surgical Chairmen, Society of Surgical Oncology, Southwestern Oncology Group, Southwestern Surgical Congress, The Cell Kinetics Society, The Surgeons’ Travel Club, and Western Surgical Association.

• University of Kansas - M.D.
• University Kansas Medical Center - Residency