Experience

Dr. Maher El Chaar is an active member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). In addition, Dr. EL Chaar is a member of the national Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). Dr Maher El Chaar is also an active member of the Clinical issues Committee (CIC) of the ASMBS, a committee responsible for the development of guidelines and recommendations for the practice of bariatric surgery.

Dr. Maher El Chaar is a national speaker who presented at multiple national and international meetings and is also a consultant for many leading medical equipment companies in the United States. Dr. El Chaar is very involved in surgical education of medical students and residents and organization of basic and advanced bariatric surgery courses on a regular basis for general surgeons and practicing bariatric surgeons.

Dr. Maher El Chaar published many manuscripts in relation to bariatric surgery and received many research grants. He was recently named as one of America’s Top Surgeons in bariatric surgery. In addition, Dr. El Chaar received a bariatric surgeon of excellence designation by the ASMBS.

Dr. Maher El Chaar currently serves as Co-Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Pennsylvania. The St. Luke’s Weight Loss Center is an MBSAQIP (Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program) accredited center and a center of quality and excellence as designated by many third party payers. The center is a comprehensive center that includes, in addition to the bariatric surgeons, a bariatrician, social workers, dieticians, physician assistants, nurses and a coordinator. The center conducts regular information seminars, support groups and educational courses tailored to bariatric patients. The center performs around 500 cases a year including gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding and revisional surgery.