Brad M Watkins, MD, FACS
Dr. Brad Watkins and his team of physicians complete the experienced staff at Synchrony Health Chicago. We have found the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedure (LAP-BAND, REALIZE band) to be the lowest-risk and least invasive bariatric surgery option for adults and adolescents that choose bariatric surgery.
After graduating from Western Kentucky University, Dr. Watkins received his MD degree from the University of Louisville. His surgical residency in Cincinnati provided extensive training in laparoscopic surgery. He has been in private practice since 1997 doing laparoscopic cases that now number in the thousands. He is board certified, a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the Council for Advances in Bariatrics and the Advisory Board for ObesityHelp.com.
In November 2002, Dr. Watkins started his first practice dedicated to the surgical treatment of obesity in Seattle, WA. That practice, Northwest Weight Loss Surgery is still the leader in the Northwest and an affiliate to Synchrony Health. In 2007, Dr. Watkins founded Synchrony Health, LLC. Synchrony Health Chicago's mission is to treat obesity with a multidisciplinary approach.
Dr. Brad Watkins is One of the few surgeons in the United States who:
- Has completed well over 1,000 gastric band procedures
- Has experience with nearly 5,000 procedures in his gastric band clinics
- FDA proctoring surgeon for both band companies (Allergan, Ethicon)
- Published five academic papers on gastric banding in the surgical literature
- Performs band-over-bypass procedure
- Performs the new incisionless ROSE procedure
- Teaches other surgeons on primary gastric banding
- Teaches other surgeons on band-over-bypass
- Teaches gastric band courses
- Teaches ROSE courses
- Consultant for Allergan Company, LAP-BAND®
- Consultant for Ethicon Company, REALIZE ™
- Consultant for USGI Company, ROSE procedure
- Completed many advanced bariatric courses and bariatric CME programs
- Involved in multiple clinical trials for adult and adolescent obesity
- Nationally recognized on the "Today Show"
- Member American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
- Member Council for Advances in Bariatrics