Meet Our Doctors

Our board-certified general surgeons have decades of combined training and experience, and they have always been at the forefront of emerging surgical techniques and technology. At Memorial and Katy Surgical Specialists, we place special emphasis on patient care making sure that our patients are treated in a kind and compassionate environment. We are excited to provide top-level comprehensive surgical care to patients in Houston, and you can be at peace knowing you are in safe hands with our team. Learn more about our doctors, their areas of interest, certifications and accolades.

Dr. Ruttman is a Board Certified General Surgeon who completed his Medical Degree in his home state of Kansas at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City. He started his General Surgery Residency at the Louisiana State University in Shreveport and completed his residency at Bethel Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Ruttman performs all aspects of General Surgery, but takes special interest in the fields of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Complex Hernia Repair, and Breast, Hepatobiliary, Endocrine, and Colorectal pathologies. Dr. Ruttman also performs comprehensive treatment of Varicose Vein disease using office based diagnostic and laser ablation techniques.

On a personal level , Dr. Ruttman enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Suzanne, who is an Anesthesiologist and his two daughters. They spend their family time traveling and swimming. Dr. Ruttman is also an automotive and target sports enthusiast.

Dr. Palmer is a Board Certified General Surgeon from Cypress, Tx. He completed his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Tx. He then received his Medical Degree at the University of Texas as Houston Medical School and earned a Scholarly Concentration in Clinical Quality, Safety & Evidence – Based Medicine. His General Surgery residency was completed through the Hiram C. Polk Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.

Dr. Palmer performs all aspects of General Surgery. He has a special interest in minimally-invasive and robotic surgery, with an emphasis on foregut, colorectal and all hernias. Additionally, Dr. Palmer is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and is well-versed in the complex yet rewarding work of breast surgery.

On a personal level, Dr. Palmer is a native Texan and enjoys spending time with is wife, Claire, and their daughter. They spend their free time at the Palmer family ranch in Washington, TX and are actively involved in their local church. Hobbies include TCU football, TCU baseball, grilling on the Big Green Egg, backpacking, duck hunting & fly-fishing.