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Rajeev Vohra, MD, Medical Director, Bariatric and Metabolic Institute
Dr. Vohra is Medical Director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Center for Digestive Disorders and Metabolic Disease. He completed his medical education in India and his postdoctoral training at New York University Medical Center. He has also served as Assistant Professor in Surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Vohra is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgeons.
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Gabe Becchinelli, PA
Becchinelli has extensive experience as a Surgical Physician Assistant. He has been with Mount Sinai South Nassau since 2005 and is one of the most experienced PAs nationwide for LAP-BAND® adjustments and follow-ups. He is a graduate of St. John's University.
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Robin Huang, MD, General Surgeon
Staff physician at Mount Sinai South Nassau covering acute care surgery, elective general surgery, minimal invasive surgery, endoscopy, and assistant in bariatric surgery.
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Shawn M. Garber, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Bariatric Surgeon
Top NYC bariatric surgeon Dr. Garber completed his general surgery training at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He went on to complete one of the first advanced laparoscopic surgery fellowships in the country at the The George Washington University Medical Center with world famous laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Sackier. Dr. Garber then trained with Dr. Alan Wittgrove (known for operating on singer Carnie Wilson) mastering the laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure for obesity.
Dr. Garber is the only bariatric surgeon on Long Island and Queens who has performed more than 3500 laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures,3500 Lap-Band procedures and over 750 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies. Dr. Garber helped develop the single incision Lap-Band and sleeve gastrectomy techniques and teaches other weight loss surgeons around the country this virtually scarless technique which he helped develop. Click here to view the videos. Dr. Garber was the only surgeon on Long Island listed in New York Magazine as one of the top laparoscopic obesity surgeons in the New York area and has been nominated by Castle Connolly as one the top surgeons in the US for over 6 years. He performed the first laparoscopic gastric bypass and the first single incision Lap-Band and Sleeve Gastrectomy on Long Island. Dr. Garber is the only surgeon in the area performing single incision sleeve gastrectomy.
Dr. Garber serves on the medical advisory board of obesityhelp.com.
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John D. Angstadt, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Angstadt completed his general surgery training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA . Following completion of his general surgery training, Dr. Angstadt developed an extensive background in advanced minimally invasive surgery performing laparoscopic colectomy, laparoscopic nephrectomy for transplant and laparoscopic splenic and adrenal surgery. Dr. Angstadt did his bariatric surgical training with Dr. Robert Marema, one of the busiest bariatric surgeons in south Florida.
Dr. Angstadt founded and developed the only bariatric surgery program in South Georgia, taking the program to certification as a Center of Excellence by the Surgical Review Corporation. Dr. Angstadt speaks regularly on issues surrounding management of obesity.
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Jeffrey W. Chiao, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Bariatric Surgeon
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Chiao is a board certified bariatric and general surgeon from the American Board of Surgery.
Dr. Chiao completed his internship and residency in general surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he developed a profound interest in minimally invasive techniques in all aspects of surgery, especially bariatrics. Following his general surgery training, Dr. Chiao completed his fellowship in Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he performed over 400 operations under the mentorship of Dr. Anita Courcoulas, a renown bariatric surgeon. He has attended the Worldwide Meeting of the Clinical Robotic Surgery Association in Chicago, the Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Fundamentals Conference in Sedona, Arizona, and SAGES Flexible Endoscopy Course for Minimally Invasive Fellows in San Diego, California.
Dr. Chiao holds memberships and certificates in the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery, Clinical Robotic Surgical Association, and Advanced Trauma Life Support.
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Candice Chipman, MD, Bariatric Surgeon
Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. Dr. Chipman finished her general surgery training at the University of Toledo after completing a clinical research fellowship at Eastern Virginia Medical School where she wrote several research papers.
Dr. Chipman completed her Bariatric Fellowship at Abington-Jefferson Hospital in Abington, PA. At Abington, she started doing biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch.
Dr. Chipman trained in robotic surgery during her fellowship obtaining special certification to use the daVinci Robot System. She is a fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
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Elizabeth Godshall, MD, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Godshall completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Smith College in Northampton, MA. She earned her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA where she was honored by induction into the AOA Honor Medical Society. She completed her internship and residency training in General Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Following completion of this training program, she completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. During her fellowship, she gained extensive expertise in a wide variety of Bariatric procedures. Her training has given her expertise in both laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
She is a General and Bariatric surgeon. She is certified by the American Board of Surgery.
Dr. Godshall maintains active roles in numerous medical societies including the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
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Spencer A. Holover, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Spencer Holover received his General Surgery training at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ. He then completed a Minimally Invasive Bariatric Fellowship with pioneering Bariatric surgeon, Dr. Phil Schauer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. While at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Holover held the academic appointment of Clinical Professor of Surgery, performed cutting edge research, gave presentations at major national meetings, and helped train future and actively practicing surgeons. Dr. Holover is one of the earliest surgeons in the world to perform Sleeve Gastrectomy. In addition, he published one of the earliest articles ever written on the Sleeve Gastrectomy. The article appeared in a leading laparoscopic-bariatric journal, Surgical Endoscopy.
Dr. Holover has performed over 1200 Laparoscopic Gastric Bypasses, over 1800 Lap-Bands and 400 Sleeve Gastrectomy procedures. He is one of the first and most experienced surgeons on Long Island to perform Single Incision Lap-Band Surgery (SILS). In addition, he has performed over 14,000 surgical endoscopies making him one of the most experienced surgical endoscopists and minimally invasive bariatric revision surgeons in the country.
Dr. Holover has also received the “Patient Choice Award” as one of “New York State’s Favorite Physicians” multiple times as well as having been voted one of the “Most Compassionate Doctors” in the country multiple times. In addition, he was voted one of The Consumer Council of America’s list of “Top Surgeons in the Country”. Dr. Holover is also a New York State Police Investigators Association Police Surgeon and has been featured as an expert guest on CBS News, KJOY, Telecare and WHPC.
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Gregory Nishimura, MD, FACS, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Nishimura was born and raised in San Jose, California. He graduated from Hahnemann University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1994 and completed his surgical residency at Nassau County Medical Center.
As a board-certified laparoscopic surgeon with over 26 years of diverse experience, Dr. Nishimura has performed over 2000 bariatric procedures including adjustable gastric banding, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, revision surgery and balloons. He also has an extensive background in minimally invasive general surgery procedures performing anti-reflux (Nissen/Toupet fundoplication), hiatal and abdominal wall hernia repair, gallbladder removal and other advanced laparoscopic procedures.
Dr. Nishimura has established himself as a leading laparoscopic and minimally invasive bariatric and general surgeon in Nassau County, Long Island. He was amongst the first surgeons in Nassau County to specialize in LINX, a magnetic implant to prevent gastroesophageal reflux. He has been recognized by Castle Connolly annually since 2015. As an anchor in the community, Dr. Nishimura has a longstanding affiliation with Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital. He joined the New York Bariatric Group in 2020 and continues to serve Nassau County, where he utilizes his extensive surgical experience to provide expert care to patients in the region.
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Pankti Patel, MD, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Patel started her education in 2003 at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated with a major in Biomedical Engineering. She achieved her medical training at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and completed her general surgery residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she developed a profound interest in robotic and minimally invasive surgery.
After completing her residency, Dr. Patel found her next opportunity on the eastern side of the States. She trained as a fellow at the Magee Women’s Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, one of the oldest training programs in the field of bariatric surgery. During this fellowship she focused on robotic, minimally-invasive, and bariatric surgery and has performed several bariatric and revisional surgeries. She has published several articles in the field of surgery, including a book chapter on Acute and Long-term Complications of Bariatric Surgery.
Dr. Patel is American Board of Surgery certified as well with the daVinci System for Robotic Surgery. Additionally, she is an active member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.
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Nikhilesh R. Sekhar, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Sekhar graduated from The Johns Hopkins University. He completed Medical School at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ. He completed his general surgery training at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY. Following completion of his general surgery training, Dr. Sekhar completed a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville TN under the tutelage of the pioneering surgeon William O. Richards, MD. There he developed unique expertise in the treatment of achalasia and gastroesophageal reflux, in addition to his extensive bariatric surgery training.
Dr. Sekhar has performed hundreds of bariatric procedures including Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass, Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding. He also has an extensive advanced laparoscopic background performing laparoscopic Nissen for reflux, laparoscopic inguinal and ventral hernia repair, laparoscopic colectomy and laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. In addition, he has an extensive experience in Robotic surgery for achalasia and other esophageal disorders.
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Kevin Small, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Kevin Small, a board-certified plastic surgeon by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, has a proficiency in the wide breadth of plastic surgery including craniofacial procedures, breast reconstruction, trunk reconstruction, and lower extremity reconstruction. He has additional training and specialization in body contouring, post-bariatric body contouring, facial aesthetic surgery, and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures (injectables, laser therapy, etc.).
Dr. Small has received numerous honors and awards the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation.
Dr. Small received his B.A. in Classics with honors from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2004, followed by his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine in May 2008. He completed the combined plastic surgery residency program at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan in June 2014, and an aesthetic surgery fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas in June 2015. Dr. Small is a former Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and has been appointed as the Director of Plastic Surgery at New York Bariatric Group.
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Eric A. Sommer, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Bariatric Surgeon
A graduate of University of California- Santa Barbara, Dr. Sommer completed his general surgery training at Boston University Medical Center in Boston, MA.. Following completion of his general surgery training, Dr. Sommer completed a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic, Bariatric and Robotic Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ under the guise of world renowned surgeon Garth H Ballantyne, MD, who he later joined as a partner in his Advanced Laparoscopic, Bariatric and Robotic practice. Dr. Sommer then went on to create the first Bariatric program in Southeastern Connecticut. He is the Chief of Bariatric Surgery at St. Francis Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, and Hudson Valley Hospital Center.
Dr. Sommer has performed thousands of bariatric procedures including Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass, Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding, revision surgery, and balloons. He also has an extensive advanced laparoscopic background performing laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (Nissen/Toupet fundoplication), Hiatal hernia repair, abdominal wall hernias, colon surgery, small intestine surgery, gallbladder removal for gallbladder disease, spleen removal, and other advanced laparoscopic procedures.
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Robert Felte, MD, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Felte completed his Bachelor of Science with honors at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Dr. Felte completed his post-baccalaureate pre-medicine education at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. He stayed in the Philadelphia area to finish his medical education at the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. His love for general surgery lead him to residency at Christiana Care, a high surgical volume health system in Newark, Delaware. It was there that Dr. Felte developed his passion for minimally invasive surgery, and in particular bariatric surgery. He completed his training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a fellow in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery Fellowship Program.
Dr. Felte received his robotic certification as a resident with a concentration in hernia repair. This was further expanded on during fellowship to include robotic procedures specific to bariatric and minimally invasive surgery. He has multiple publications and national presentations in both general surgery and bariatric surgery, including the sleeve gastrectomy and post bariatric surgery pain control. Dr. Felte is currently an active member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, and the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.
Having joined the New York Bariatric Group practice in 2020, Dr. Felte will utilize his experiences and patient centered team approach to help you achieve your weight-loss goals.
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Owen J. Pyke Jr., MD, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Owen J. Pyke Jr. gravitated towards medicine early in his academic career as he found it offered a unique path towards serving the community and life long learning in the sciences. Dr. Pyke graduated from Amherst College with a degree in Neuroscience. He then completed his graduate studies in Public Health and a joint MD/MBA degree at Stony Brook University. Dr. Pyke continues to have a special interest in the study of disease on both a population and individual level. As a field that stands at the trifurcation of medicine, engineering, and business, Dr. Pyke found that surgery uniquely encompassed all the areas of his professional interest.
Dr. Pyke’s knowledge of the fact that weight loss surgery can bring resolution to comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea, resulting in a reduction in overall mortality, made this field an obvious choice for him. Dr. Pyke completed rigorous training in general surgery at Stony Brook University Medical Center, which has equipped him well to compassionately care for patients both operatively and non-operatively. During his time at Stony Brook, Dr. Pyke’s areas of research interest broadened to include health literacy, surgical education, global surgery, and obesity surgery, particularly in the management of anastomotic ulcers.
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Charles E. Thompson III, MD, Bariatric Surgeon
Dr. Charles E. Thompson III has been working to serve the NYC metro and Long Island communities since finishing training. He is committed to helping those in need and fostering a relationship with his patients that includes, trust, compassion, and confident, courteous care. A patient’s decision to undergo weight loss surgery, or ANY surgery, is not easy. Dr. Thompson’s careful attention to his patient’s needs leads to the success his patients have in losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
After completing his undergraduate work at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Thompson completed his medical and general surgery training at Howard University, in Washington, DC. Aside from training under and learning from nationally recognized surgeons in the field, Dr. Thompson presented surgical research at conferences and meetings around the world. Most notably, he traveled to Sydney, Australia, where his work under Dr. Clive Callender led to his invitation to speak.
It is at Howard University that Dr. Thompson cultivated a keen interest in weight loss surgery. Under the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Terrence Fullum, Dr. Thompson was accepted into one of the most respected bariatric surgery programs in the country at Cleveland Clinic Florida. This program, headed by Dr. Raul Rosenthal and Dr. Samuel Szomstein is where Dr. Thompson gained advanced training in the art of bariatric surgery. His time with Drs. Rosenthal and Szomstein resulted in several published articles/abstracts/book chapters related to the treatment and management of bariatric surgery patients.
Dr. Thompson is Board-Certified by the American Board of Surgery. As a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Thompson continues to practice surgery to the best of his abilities and to always do what is in the patient’s best interest.
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