Dr. Hiler is a native San Franciscan. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He attended medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas graduating in 1979. He returned to San Francisco to complete his surgical residency in General Surgery in 1984 at St. Mary’s Hospital & Medical Center. He entered group practice in San Francisco in 1984 and became Chairman of the Department of Surgery at French Hospital in 1988. He became Vice-Chair at CPMC in 1993 until he became Acting Chair in 1998 and Chairman of the Department of Surgery in 1999, a position he held till December 31, 2012. He has served on many committees. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at UCSF and was Site Director for the UCSF Surgery Residency Program at CPMC till 2013. He is Surgical Director of Esophageal Services at CPMC. His practice encompasses all aspects of General Surgery with a strong orientation to Hernia, Abdominal Wall Reconstruction, Breast, Endocrine, GI and Advanced Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery. He conducted a monthly national course at CPMC in hernia repair for several years. His interests include a strong emphasis on surgical education and he was a Task Force member for the development of an ACS accredited Surgical Training Center at CPMC.