John Dockins, MD, FACS FASMBS is the current Chief of Bariatric Surgery and MBSAQIP Medical Director at Evergreen Health-Kirkland. Dr. John Dockins grew up in Jackson, MS. He was offered a full academic scholarship, and obtained a B.S. in Biology-Pre-Medicine at Xavier University of Louisiana, and from there proceeded to the University of Mississippi Medical School for his M.D. Dr. Dockins completed his general surgery residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., which is where he became interested in weight loss surgery.
He left Washington, D.C. in 2011 for a formal, year-long fellowship in minimally-invasive bariatric surgery at the University of Missouri, where he studied under nationally respected surgery masters, including Roger de la Torre, Archana Ramaswamy Steven Scott, and Norbert Richardson.
Dr. John Dockins entered private practice in Woodbridge, VA and worked out of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Hospital, which are both Bariatric Centers of Excellence. He transitioned from private practice to Sentara Surgery Specialists, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a brand new, state of the art, comprehensive Bariatric Surgery program. During this time, his practice was recognized system-wide for excellence in patient outcomes and patient satisfaction scores. He was designated as a MBSAQIP Center of Excellence Verified Surgeon. He also obtained his Obesity Medicine Board certification in 2017.
Dr. Dockins joined Coordinated Health in Bethlehem, PA, as the Medical Director for a new, state of the art, Bariatric Surgery program in 2018. Under his leadership, Coordinated health created a multidisciplinary, integrated, Medical and Bariatric Surgical weight loss program, with a team of exercise specialists, dietitians, and behavioral health experts to provide a holistic, comprehensive approach to helping patient improve their health and quality of life with sustained weight loss and healthy habits.
Dr. Dockins joined Evergreen Health in October of 2020. Under his leadersship, Evergreen Health Hospital-Kirkland, was on of the first 25 programs in the US to be recognized as a MBSAQIP Comprehensive Center with Obesity Medicine Designation. He actively practices Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery as well as Obesity Medicine under an integrated program. His team includes 4 dietitians, an exercise physiologist, and 2 additional Obesity Medicine Certified Endocrinologists. He is also skilled in both interventional and diagnostic endoscopy for bariatric patients. He has devoted his career to providing a safe, positive experience for every patient that he treats. His goal is to bring to Washingtonians the same high-level, compassionate care that he was privileged to provide to his previous patients along the Mid-Atlantic for many years. He is currently a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He is a Leadership Council Member for the Seattle Chapter of the UNCF, and a member of the King County Medical Society. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling and exercise.
