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  • Peterson, Richard
Richard M. Peterson

Contact

210-567-5730

Programs

  • M.D. in Doctor of Medicine

Departments & Divisions

  • Department of Surgery
  • Division of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Richard M Peterson, M.D.

Professor

Chief Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Director

Dr Richard Peterson obtained his Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in biology from the University of California, Riverside. He then went to obtain a Masters in Public health (MPH) at the East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, PA. He obtained his MD degree from the American University of the Caribbean. He completed his General Surgery residency at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He then went on to pursue a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Southern California. This training had made him one of a selected few surgeons who perform a completely hand-sewn laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Following the completion of his training he entered into Active Duty service with the United States Air Force. He served two combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Peterson served as Chief of Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He expanded the program to be the largest bariatric surgery program in the Department of Defense. He also served as the Consult to the Air Force Surgeon General on Bariatrics during this time. Dr. Peterson has consistently been selected by his fellow physicians as one of San Antonio’s Best Doctors.

Dr. Peterson serves as the Chief of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery for UT Health San Antonio and is the medical director of the Christus Weight Loss Institute at Westover Hills.

Dr. Peterson is very active in Bariatric Surgery clinically and academically. He is a past president of the Texas Association for Bariatric Surgery (TABS) and has chaired several committees for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Sugery (ASMBS) including the public Education Committee and the Communications Committee. He moderates and runs the largest online bariatric journal club on Facebook and serves as the Social Media Editor for Surgery for Obesity and Related Disease (SOARD), the official journal of the ASMBS.

Dr. Peterson has authored several textbook chapters on bariatric surgery, has published many peer reviewed articles and has presented nationally and internationally on bariatric surgery. He is a contributing author to the accreditation standards for bariatric surgery and serves as a national site surveyor for bariatric sugery center accreditation.

Dr. Peterson is fluent in Spanish, enjoys running and resides in San Antonio with his wife and two children.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 2000 - MD - Doctor of Medicine - American University of the Caribbean, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles
    • 1998 - MD Candidate - Medico Cirujano, Doctor of Medicine - Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
    • 1995 - MPH - Community Health Education - East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, PA
    • 1994 - BS - Biology - University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA

    Training

    • 2007 - Clinical Fellowship - Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery - University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
    • 2006 - Residency - General Surgery Residency - St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD

    Appointments

    • 9/2018-Present - Professor/Clinical - UT Health San Antonio, Department of Surgery, San Antonio, TX
    • 07/2014-Present - Assistant Director Surgery Student Clerkship - UT Health San Antonio, Department of Surgery, San Antonio, TX
    • 01/2011-08/2018 - Associate Professor/Clinical - UT Health San Antonio, Department of Surgery, San Antonio, TX
    • 01/2011-Present - Chief of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery - UT Health San Antonio, Department of Surgery, San Antonio, TX
    • 10/2009-12/2010 - Clinical Assistant Professor - UT Health San Antonio, Department of Surgery, San Antonio, TX
    • 10/2008-12/2010 - Clinical Assistant Professor - Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Bethesda, MD
    • 07/2007-12/2010 - Chief of Bariatrics and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery - Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX
  • Instruction & Training

    • 07/2013-Present, Bariatric and General Surgery , Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills
  • Publications

      Abstract

      Peterson RM, Nguyen P. Laparoscopic repair of perforated marginal ulcer following gastric bypass 2017 Oct. p. S180. (Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases; vol. 13, no. 10).

      Book Chapter

      Peterson RM,
      Kempenich JW. Management of Marginal Ulcers In: Nguyen NT, Brethauer SA,
      Morton JM, Ponce J, Rosenthal R. The ASMBS Textbook of Bariatric
      Surgery - 2nd Edition. Springer; 2020. p. 225 - 234.
      Peterson RM, Gomez
      PP, Nguyen P. Bariatric Emergencies for the General Surgeon In: Reavis,
      Barrett, Kroh. SAGES Manual of Bariatric Surgery. Springer; 2018.

      Editioral

      Peterson RM. Comment
      on: Safety of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric
      bypass in elderly patients: analysis of the MBSAQIP Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 2018 Jun

      Peterson RM. Comment
      On: A pilot study of primary care physicians‘ attitude to weight loss
      surgery in England: are the young more prejudiced? Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 2018 Jan;14(3):380-381.

      Peterson RM. Comment On: Live surgery courses: retrospective safety analysis after 11 editions   Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 2018 Jan;14(4):e1

      Electonic/Web Publication

      Peterson RM. GERD
      following sleeve gastrectomy: What do you believe? 2016 Oct.
      Available from:
      http://www.ibcclub.org/gerd-following-sleeve-gastrectomy-what-do-you-bel...

      Peterson RM. Pearls
      to Decrease Post Sleeve Gastrectomy Reflux 2016 Oct. Available
      from:
      http://www.ibcclub.org/pearls-to-decrease-post-sleeve-gastrectomy-reflux/

      Journal Article

      Peterson RM, Scott JD. Managing Complications of Bariatric Surgery Advances in Surgery 2019 Sep;53:55-68

      Andrew M, Huffman D,
      Rodriguez-Ayala E, Williams N, Peterson RM, Bastarrachea RA. Mesenteric
      visceral lipectomy using tissue liquefaction technology reverses
      insulin resistance and causes weight loss in baboons Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 2018 Mar

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