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Advanced Bariatric & Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Fellowship

BodyByBariatrics is seeking one highly motivated and technically skilled PGY-6 surgeon to fill its inaugural Non-FC Accredited Advanced Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship. This one-year position is based primarily at The Surgical Institute of Central Florida, a privately-owned and operated ambulatory surgery center at 12363 W. Colonial Drive, Suite 100, Winter Garden, Florida, with local hospital call coverage.

The Fellow will function as a primary operating surgeon under the direct supervision and mentorship of Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Dovec and Dr. Diana Lane, gaining intensive hands-on operative experience across bariatric, foregut, and general surgery in one of the highest-volume ASC-based bariatric programs in the United States.

This fellowship is deliberately structured to go beyond traditional clinical training. In addition to exceptional operative experience, the Fellow will be embedded in the operational, financial, and entrepreneurial fabric of BodyByBariatrics developing the skills necessary to build, manage, and grow a private surgical practice from day one of independent practice.

Apply Here

Now accepting applicants for September, 2027

Why This Fellowship Is Extraordinary

Most bariatric fellowships offer good operative experience. The BodyByBariatrics Clinical Fellowship offers something far rarer: a front-row seat to the future of surgical medicine.

You will not simply train here, you will be immersed in the full ecosystem of a thriving private practice. This is a fellowship designed for surgeons who want to graduate not just as skilled operators, but as complete, entrepreneurially-minded physician leaders ready to build and run a successful practice of their own

Operative Excellence

  • > 850 cases/year primary surgeon experience Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy & Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass
  • Complex revisional bariatric surgery
  • Hiatal hernia & foregut surgery
  • Upper endoscopy (diagnostic)
  • Abdominal wall hernia repair, cholecystectomy
  • Robotic-assisted surgical techniques

Business of Surgery

  • Private practice operations & patient flow
  • Insurance credentialing & contracting
  • Financial management & practice economics
  • Marketing & patient acquisition strategies
  • ASC ownership & entrepreneurial leadership
  • Building a brand and reputation in surgery
  • Mentorship from internationally recognized surgeons and key opinion leaders

Fellowship Highlights​

Clinical & Operative Experience​

  • Extensive laparoscopic and robotic operative experience in a very high-volume setting (> 850 cases/year)
  • Primary surgeon experience in:
    • Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy
    • Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB)
    • Revisional bariatric surgery (sleeve-to-bypass, lap band removal & conversion, Nissen fundoplication takedown and revision to gastric bypass, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty to Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass, etc.)
    • Hiatal hernia repair and foregut procedures
    • Upper endoscopy (diagnostic)
    • Abdominal wall hernia repair (primary and complex/recurrent)
    • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and general surgery bread-and-butter cases
    • Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgical experience integrated into case volume
  • General surgery call coverage at area hospital

Medical & Longitudinal Patient Management

  • Exposure to comprehensive obesity medicine and medical weight loss management
  • Longitudinal patient management from preoperative evaluation through postoperative follow-up
  • Outpatient clinic experience with a high-volume, diverse patient population
  • Integration with registered dietitian-led nutrition counseling and behavior modification programming
  • Weekly multidisciplinary conferences and case discussions

Business of Surgery & Entrepreneurial Education

  • Private practice immersion: understand how a thriving, nationally recognized surgical practice operates day-to-day
  • Insurance credentialing and payer contracting: how to get privileged, contracted, and reimbursed
  • Financial literacy: practice economics, overhead management, revenue cycle, and profitability
  • Marketing and patient acquisition: digital marketing, reputation management, social media strategy, and direct-to-consumer outreach
  • Operational excellence: patient flow, scheduling, perioperative systems, and ASC management
  • Entrepreneurial mentorship and leadership guidance from Dr. Dovec and Dr. Lane
  • Exposure to the ASC ownership model and what it means to be a physician-owner operator

Research & Academic Development

  • Opportunity to participate in clinical research and quality improvement projects
  • Support for abstract submission, manuscript preparation, and presentation at national meetings
  • Access to a rich dataset from one of the highest-volume ASC-based bariatric programs in the country
Apply Here

Fellowship Structure

Primary Operative Venue

The Surgical Institute of Central Florida

Winter Garden, FL

Hospital privileges and call

Local Hospital

Orlando, FL

Clinic

BodyByBariatrics VIRTUAL outpatient practice

Winter Garden, FL

Multidisciplinary Conference

Monthly multidisciplinary conference and fellow-led case presentations

Direct Mentorship

Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Dovec and Dr. Diana Lane

Benefits

Competitive PGY-6 salary with benefits package

When I finished my surgical training, I realized that becoming a great surgeon was only part of the journey. Residency taught me how to operate, but it didn't teach me how to build a practice, lead a team, innovate, or navigate the business of medicine. We created the BodyByBariatrics Fellowship to bridge that gap. Our goal is to train not only exceptional MIS surgeons, but future leaders, entrepreneurs, and practice builders who are prepared to thrive in the real world of modern healthcare. This fellowship offers the rare opportunity to combine high-volume operative experience with mentorship in private practice, ambulatory surgery center leadership, patient-centered innovation, and lifelong professional growth. I want our fellow to leave here confident not only in the operating room, but in every aspect of building a meaningful and impactful career."

-Dr. Betsy Dovec,

CEO & Bariatric Surgeon, BodyByBariatrics

Non-FC Fellowship Position Description & Requirements

Core Clinical Responsibilities

Operative Surgery

The Fellow will serve as primary surgeon (with attending supervision) across the following case types:

Bariatric Surgery

  • Laparoscopic Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG)
  • Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB)
  • Revisional bariatric surgery
  • Sleeve-to-bypass conversion
  • Lap band removal & conversion

Foregut & MIS

  • Hiatal hernia repair
  • Foregut procedures
  • Upper endoscopy (diagnostic)
  • Robotic-assisted techniques

General Surgery

  • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Abdominal wall hernia repair
  • Complex/recurrent hernias
  • General surgery call

Outpatient Clinic

  • Preoperative assessment: history and physical, surgical candidacy evaluation, risk stratification
  • Postoperative follow-up: short-term and long-term
  • Management of bariatric surgery complications and adverse outcomes
  • Medical weight loss patient consultation and management
  • Coordination with registered dietitian and multidisciplinary team

Hospital & On-Call Duties

  • General surgery call coverage at UCF Lake Nona Hospital
  • Management of operative and postoperative inpatient cases as needed
  • Emergency consultation and operative intervention for bariatric-related complications

Endoscopy

  • Upper endoscopy: diagnostic EGD, evaluation of postoperative anatomy
  • Interpretation of endoscopic findings in bariatric and foregut contexts

Educational & Academic Responsibilities

  • Active participation in monthly multidisciplinary bariatric conferences and M&M discussions, as needed
  • Fellow-led case presentations and educational seminars
  • Participation in clinical quality improvement initiatives
  • Engagement in clinical research: data collection, IRB processes, manuscript preparation
  • Mentored preparation of abstracts for ASMBS, SAGES, or ACS meetings
  • Completion of required obesity medicine and bariatric surgery didactic curriculum

Business of Medicine Curriculum

This unique, structured curriculum embedded within the fellowship year provides the Fellow with practical, real-world education in the business and entrepreneurship of surgical practice. Topics covered include:

Private Practice Operations

  • Organizational structure of a private practice vs. employed/hospital-based models
  • Patient flow design: from inquiry to surgery to long-term follow-up
  • Staffing models, delegation of clinical and administrative tasks
  • Scheduling systems and OR block time management
  • EMR systems, documentation best practices, and billing workflows

Insurance Credentialing & Contracting

  • Step-by-step process for physician credentialing with hospitals and payers
  • Payer contracting fundamentals: negotiating fee schedules, in-network vs. out-of-network
  • Medicare and Medicaid enrollment processes
  • Understanding CAQH, PECOS, and credentialing timelines
  • Navigating prior authorization for bariatric surgery
  • Appeals processes and denial management

Financial Literacy & Practice Economics

  • Revenue cycle management: billing, coding (CPT/ICD-10), and collections
  • Understanding your compensation model: production, RVUs, and collections-based pay
  • Practice overhead: fixed vs. variable costs, break-even analysis
  • Building a pro forma for a new practice or ASC
  • ASC ownership models, facility fees, and the economics of the physician-owned ASC
  • Contract review fundamentals for employment and partnership agreements

Marketing & Patient Acquisition

  • Digital marketing fundamentals: SEO, Google Ads, and social media strategy
  • Reputation management: responding to reviews, Google Business optimization
  • Building a personal brand as a surgeon in the modern media landscape
  • Direct-to-consumer outreach and the self-pay patient journey
  • Referral network development with primary care, endocrinology, and other specialists
  • Content creation strategy: video, podcasting, and blogging as patient education and marketing tools

Leadership & Entrepreneurship

  • Physician leadership in a team-based private practice
  • Hiring, retention, and culture building
  • Building and scaling a surgical practice from startup to high-volume operation
  • Navigating regulatory environment: HIPAA, OSHA, state medical board compliance
  • Healthcare real estate and facility considerations for ASC development

Position Requirements

Required Qualifications

  • Completion of an ACGME-accredited General Surgery Residency (PGY-5) prior to fellowship start date
  • Eligible for Florida medical licensure (active application required prior to start date)
  • DEA registration (or eligibility) for Florida
  • Strong laparoscopic technical skills with documented minimally invasive case experience
  • Demonstrated commitment to bariatric and minimally invasive surgery as a career focus
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • High professional standards: reliability, punctuality, respect, and accountability
  • Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and private practice environment

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior bariatric surgery research or quality improvement experience
  • Exposure to laparoscopic and/or robotic-assisted surgical techniques during residency
  • Experience with or interest in endoscopy (upper GI)
  • Demonstrated interest in private practice, ASC operations, or surgical entrepreneurship
  • Leadership experience in residency (chief resident, administrative fellow, research year, etc.)
  • Publication or presentation history at regional or national level

Personal Attributes We Seek

  • Intellectual curiosity and eagerness to learn beyond the operating room
  • Entrepreneurial mindset: interest in business, innovation, and growth of surgical practice
  • Coachability: willingness to receive direct, honest feedback and apply it with humility
  • Patient-centered values: compassionate care, commitment to outcomes, respect for patients
  • Self-starter: proactive, organized, and able to take ownership of responsibilities
  • Team player who thrives in a high-energy, high-volume, collaborative environment
  • Long-term vision: desire to build something meaningful in the field of bariatric surgery

Compensation & Benefits

  • Competitive PGY-6 salary commensurate with experience
  • Health insurance benefits
  • Professional liability (malpractice) insurance coverage
  • CME allowance and support for national meeting attendance
  • Florida medical license application reimbursement
  • Access to DEA registration support
  • Administrative and credentialing support provided by BodyByBariatrics staff
Apply Here

Contact Information

Dr. Diana Lane

Bariatric Surgeon, Program Director

12363 W Colonial Dr.
Winter Garden, FL 34787

DrLane@BodyByBariatrics.com