Understanding Obesity: From Stigma to Surgery

The United States population increasingly meets the criteria for obesity. In recent years, new options for treatment have developed, and more patients are seeking support from their healthcare providers. As a result, front-line providers are tasked more frequently with assessing treatment options and managing patients with obesity. Multidisciplinary treatment requires cooperation and integration of all relevant disciplines and specialties, which are critical to provide excellent patient care, improve the patient experience, and achieve better outcomes. Understanding Obesity: From Stigma to Surgery will provide valuable information on available treatment options, including diet, psychology, medication, and surgical options. Attendees will gain an understanding of empathetic and non-judgmental approaches to patient care and will learn the impact of the interrelationship between obesity and associated health issues.

Shaina R. Eckhouse, MD, has been Medical Director for Bariatric Surgery since 2024 when she joined the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery. Previously, she spent 8 years at Washington University School of Medicine. She specializes in endoscopic, laparoscopic, and robotic techniques with a focus on treating patients with obesity using bariatric surgery. She is also a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine in hopes of treating patients comprehensively. She earned a medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, completed a general surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, and finished her training with a fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric at Duke University. Her research focuses on quality improvement and clinical outcomes following bariatric surgery and communication and team dynamics in the perioperative environment.

William S. Yancy Jr., MD, MHS, is a board-certified general internist and obesity medicine specialist who is Professor of Medicine at Duke University and Research Associate in Health Services Research and Development at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He is Medical Director of the Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center and Co-director of the Duke Primary Care Research Consortium. He has led or collaborated on dozens of clinical research studies, resulting in over 150 scientific publications, primarily on obesity management using nutritional and medical approaches. Dr. Yancy is a Fellow of The Obesity Society and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. He has received several awards for his research including The Obesity Society’s Ethan Sims Young Investigator Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and the Nutrition & Metabolism Society Award for Excellence in Nutrition & Metabolism.

Dana Portenier, MD is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Bariatric Surgery at Duke University. He attended the College of Charleston where he completed a degree in Biochemistry as well as received the Biochemistry Honors Award. He went on to graduate from the Medical School of South Carolina at Charleston. He then went to Providence Hospital in Detroit, MI for his residency where he received the Charles G. Johnston Excellence in Research Award by the Detroit Surgical Society. He also received the General Surgery Resident of the Year Award in 2003 and 2004. Dr. Portenier trained in upper gastrointestinal surgery as a traveling Hepatic-Pancreatic-Biliary Fellow, completing rotations at Mayo Clinic (Minnesota), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York), and Saint James University Hospital, Leeds (England). Dr. Portenier completed an Advanced Fellowship in Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at Duke University. Upon completion, he joined the division. Dr. Portenier’s clinical interests include minimally invasive approaches to upper gastrointestinal surgery for diseases of the esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, adrenal glands, spleen, small bowel, and colon; complicated revisional foregut and bariatric surgery; developing new techniques in the field of single-incision surgery; weight loss surgery. Dr. Portenier has over 15 years of experience in performing Bariatric Surgery and training MIS Fellows. Dr. Portenier is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is a member of SAGES and ASMBS. He is a globally known leader in the field of Bariatric Surgery and is a frequent speaker at conferences around the world.

Target Audience

Understanding Obesity: From Stigma to Surgery is focused on providing front-line healthcare workers with the tools and knowledge needed to diagnose, manage, and treat patients with obesity effectively. Primary care providers, specialists, and other healthcare workers who diagnose and treat obesity, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, physical therapists, and other practitioners who manage patients with obesity, will benefit from this course.

Exhibitors are encouraged to join us and participate in face-to-face interactions with members of the medical and bariatric community. Highlight your company's latest advances in technology and research, network with attendees, and stay up-to-date on critical issues and advancements in the field. For more information or to download the prospectus, please see our Exhibitor and Sponsorship page.

Due to the intimate nature of the conference center, audience size, and program content, we are limited in the number of participating exhibitors. Register early to secure your spot.

Exhibitor benefits include:

Engage with a diverse audience of surgeons and healthcare professionals
Demonstrate your organization’s commitment to the development of technology for the purpose of improving patient care
Establish connections with attendees and faculty to expand your prospect base and strengthen existing customer relationships
Increase brand exposure
Introduce new products and services
Generate new sales leads
Provide product demonstrations
Conduct market research

Duke University Health System Department of Clinical Education and Professional Development designates this live activity for a maximum of 7 credits for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s), ANCC, Attendance, IACET CEU, JA-Credit-AH, ACPE-Pharmacist, ACPE-Pharmacy Technician. Attendees should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The designation was based upon the quality of the educational activity and its compliance with the standards and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).