Recently, Dr. Michel Gagner was elected to the executive council of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) as a Member-at-Large. The ASMBS is a society known for its leadership, organization, educational and support programs for surgeons and integrated health professionals. Their mission is to improve public health and wellbeing by lessening the burden of obesity and its related diseases worldwide.

Contributions

Dr. Michel Gagner’s work has been recognized by the ASMBS for his contributions to metabolic and bariatric surgery with the work he has done in Canada, particularly at Clinique Michel Gagner, along with the number of years he’s spent in the U.S. working for various medical institutions.

Some of the institutions include:

• The Cleveland Clinic Foundation – where he co-founded the Minimally Invasive Surgery Center (1995-1998).

• Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York – where he was appointed the Franz Sichel Professor of Surgery and the director the Minimally Invasive Surgery Center’s New York location.

• Weill Medical College at Cornell University – where he was the Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Section of Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery.

• Chair of Surgery of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

• Florida International University – where he worked (and still is) as a Professor of Surgery.

On top of these accomplishments, Dr. Gagner has published over 400 journal articles, countless chapters and ten books about minimally invasive surgery. He has also been a visiting professor in over 60 institutions across 49 different countries.

Going Forward

Now, with his new role, he will work alongside executive members of ASMBS to continually improve the quality and safety of care and treatment of people with obesity.

This includes:

• Working on initiatives to advance the science and understanding of metabolic and bariatric surgery.

• Taking part in communication aspects between health professionals that work with patients who are obese and suffer from related conditions.

• Work with a recognized authority and resource on metabolic and bariatric surgery.

• Continue to advocate for health care policies, patient access, quality, prevention and the treatment of obesity.

• Contribute to educational and professional needs within the diverse membership community.

ASMBS has roughly 4000 members, which are comprised of practicing general surgeons and integrated health care professionals concerned with the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery. They contribute to an official scientific journal called Surgery for Obesity and Related diseases (SOARD), which contribute peer-reviewed manuscripts and data about the techniques and treatment of obesity, and Dr Gagner is an associate editor of this journal.