Javier Varela, MD FACS

I graduated with honors from the Universidad Nacional of Colombia’s Medical School and hold double board certifications from the American Board of Surgery (ABS) and the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM). I specialized in General Surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago and received advanced training in Minimally Invasive Surgery, Obesity/Bariatric Surgery, and Esophageal Surgery from the University of California Irvine. My educational background also includes Public Health and Business Administration. I am a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. My clinical experience encompasses creating and leading successful research initiatives and medical and surgical weight management programs for both adults and adolescents. Academically, I have taught medical students, residents, MIS fellows at U.S. academic institutions, including the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and Washington University in St. Louis. I have presented my research at numerous national and international surgical conferences and have authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals such as Nature Reviews, JAMA Surgery, Annals of Surgery, Journal of Clinical Investigation, SOARD, JACS, and Shock. My contributions to the field include pioneering several surgical procedures and techniques. Throughout my career, I have been honored with several awards, including the 2005 UIC Teaching Award, the 2008 VA New Investigator Award, the 2011 SAGES “Golden Laparoscope” Young Investigator Award, and the 2012 National Institutes of Health/NIDDK Research Award for Clinical Scientists. Currently, I hold a Professorship in Surgery at the University of Central Florida (UCF). My past leadership roles have included Chair of Surgery, Vice Chief of Medical Staff, Chair of Credentials, and membership on the Medical Executive Committee (MEC), among others.

Bariatric (Severe Obesity) Procedures

• laparoscopic gastric banding
• laparoscopic gastric bypass

Endocrine (Gland)

• adrenal surgery
• pheochromocytoma

Abdomen and Digestion Disorder/Procedure

• anti-reflux procedures
• appendectomy
• feeding tubes
• fundoplication - laparoscopic
• gastroesophageal reflux disease
• peptic ulcer disease
• splenectomy

Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas Disor/Proc

• gallstone disease
• hepatobiliary surgery
• laparoscopic cholecystectomy
• liver biopsy

Hernia Procedures

• abdominal hernia
• component separation
• epigastric hernia
• femoral hernia
• inguinal hernia
• laparoscopic hernia repair
• paraesophageal hernia
• umbilical hernia
• ventral hernia

Minimal Access Surgery

Colon and Rectal Disorders/Cancer

• laparoscopic colon surgery

Minimally Invasive Procedures

• endoscopic surgery
• laparoscopic surgery
• robotic surgery

Thoracic

• achalasia
• Barrett's esophagus
• esophageal surgery
• hiatal hernia
• myotomy

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Dallas, TX

Assistant Professor

Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine

St. Louis, MO

Associate Professor

University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Orlando, FL

Professor

01/2017—Present