Dr. Brauer was born in Minneapolis and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He has extensive training in the management of benign and cancerous conditions of the liver, pancreas, bile duct, gallbladder, and upper gastrointestinal system. His primary focus is on the patient and caregiver experience: he ensures patients are informed and involved in their care, he seeks ways to improve access to care for patients of all backgrounds including through telehealth visits, and he focuses on minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical techniques including laparoscopic and robotic surgery.