J. R. Salameh, MD, FACS

J.R. Salameh, MD, FACS is the current Chairman of the Department of Surgery and the Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at Virginia Hospital Center. Dr. Salameh is a board certified general and bariatric surgeon. He is a fellowship trained laparo-endoscopic surgery specialist. After obtaining his Medical Degree from Saint Joseph University (Beirut Lebanon) he did his General Surgery training at Georgetown University (Washington DC) and then completed a Laparoscopic/Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston Texas). Prior to joining the Virginia Hospital Center Physician Group - Surgical Specialists (formerly known as Surgical Associates at Virginia Hospital Center) in July 2007, Dr. Salameh was Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Surgery Simulation Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson, MS). He performs a wide range of minimally-invasive gastrointestinal and endocrine surgical procedures including laparoscopic weight loss surgeries. He takes a laparoscopic approach to operations on the esophagus, stomach, bowels, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen and adrenal glands whenever possible. In addition, he performs surgery on the thyroid and parathyroid glands and is nationally recognized as an expert on both traditional and minimally-invasive hernia surgery. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, American Hernia Society and several other national groups.
The author of numerous publications and journal articles, Dr. Salameh is also a frequent lecturer and scientific presenter proficient in English, French and Arabic.