Rick Fermelia, MD

I was trained in Dallas Texas at the University of Texas Southwestern (known by most as the Parkland Hospital Residency). Laparoscopic surgery was still new when I was in residency. Over 25 years of experience I have developed a robust high end laparoscopic practice in complex abdominal laparoscopic surgery. I began my interest in weight loss (bariatric surgery) out of my love for complicated laparoscopic surgery. In 2004, I went through a formal training program in bariatric surgery. During this time, the first fellowships (training after residency) were only just being developed in minimally invasive surgery and bariatrics. I had extensive formal training and proctoring in both open and laparoscopic gastric bypass. I ultimately formally trained and was proctored in the Lap Band procedure in 2005. I was formally trained and proctored in Gastric Sleeve resection in 2011. As is the case with most experienced bariatric surgeons I have performed many revisional bariatric surgery, considered some of the most challenging cases. As far as I know I performed some of the first laparoscopic gastric bypasses, Lap Band, and laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve resections in the state of Wyoming. I developed the first comprehensive bariatric center in the state.

During this long experience I have found great pleasure in working and might I say excelling as “an operating bariatric physician” in the nonoperative aspects of weight loss therapy.

Dr. Fermelia is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and more importantly a Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. This vouches for my commitment to remaining involved in the science of and on the cutting edge of Metabolic Surgery. I have developed and was the medical director of a comprehensive bariatric surgery program that was awarded a Centers of Excellence verification by first the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and when it merged with the American College of Surgeons. The MBSAQIP (Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program) is now the verifying entity. I personally have been awarded a “Surgeon of Excellence” verification of those two verifying organizations.

I have developed and am improving a comprehensive bariatric program in Lincoln, Nebraska which I hope to serve all of Nebraska and surrounding states. My full intention is to meet the criteria of a bariatric center of excellence as we head toward a formal verification. I will make sure my present program practices in the same parameters as my Centers of Excellence program. I am board certified in Obesity Medicine and as a diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine I absolutely feel I can off the best of what medical science can offer, whether it is medical management or surgery.