H. David Vargas, M.D.

Dr. H. David Vargas is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

Dave was born in Hamilton-Ontario, Canada and received his M.D. from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed an internship in Family Practice at Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and experienced an epiphany, switching to general surgery training at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He then completed a fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana. After his fellowship, he went into practice for 2 years in Allentown, Pennsylvania then moved to a multi-specialty group in Norfolk, Virginia. In 2004, he joined his cousin Ray Ramirez in a new colorectal surgery group in Hampton, Virginia. After 3 years, he was recruited to his current position at the University of Kentucky.

Certified in General and Colon and Rectal Surgery, David teaches general surgery residents and students on a daily basis. He has excelled in his return to academic practice, as evidenced by several teaching awards bestowed upon him including the Chief Resident's Award recognizing excellence in the instruction of operative technique and surgical judgment, and the Ward O. Griffin Award for excellence in the teaching of medical students. His contributions to the medical literature include a book chapter and 10 peer-reviewed articles.

David has a busy clinical practice, which unfortunately includes a significant number of obese patients. He is an active member of several surgical societies and is a fellow of the American College of Surgery and the ASCRS. He also serves on several major committees of the ASCRS. His experience in several varied practices gives him a unique perspective on many of the topics discussed in this issue of Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery.

Dave, his wife Mercedes, and their children Gabriella, Luke, and Marco live in Lexington, Kentucky. When not working, Dave enjoys mountain biking, salt-water fishing, coaching his children in soccer, and trying to maintain a reasonable body weight while enjoying his wife's spectacular cooking.

On behalf of the readers and staff of Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery, my thanks to Dr. Vargas for serving as Guest Editor and providing us with an excellent issue on colon and rectal surgery in the obese patient.