STONY BROOK, N.Y., December 3, 2012 – Dana Telem, MD, has been appointed Assistant Professor of Surgery, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and joins the surgical team of the Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Center at Stony Brook University Hospital, announced Aurora Pryor, MD, Professor of Surgery, Chief of the General Surgery Division, and Director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Center. 

A specialist in minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal disease, Dr. Telem joins a multidisciplinary team at the Center that includes bariatric surgeons, orthopedic and plastic surgeons, gastrointestinal specialists, endocrinologists, anesthesiologists, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physician assistants and other professionals. More than 500 patients are currently enrolled at the Center, which opened a dedicated inpatient facility at Stony Brook University Hospital in July 2012.

Certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Telem comes to Stony Brook from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she was an Advanced Laparoscopic Fellow. Laparoscopic surgery is performed with the use of small incisions and often leads to less pain and scarring, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery for patients post-procedure.

“Dr. Telem is a gifted and compassionate surgeon with specialized expertise in the advanced techniques our program is known for, including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, adjustable band, and revisional bariatric surgery,” said Dr. Pryor. “Our patients greatly benefit from minimally invasive procedures, and Dr. Telem’s broad skills in bariatric practices and other procedures enhance the surgical options we can offer to them.”

Dr. Telem also cares for patients with a broad spectrum of abdominal and gastrointestinal problems that require surgical intervention. These procedures include laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery for chronic severe heartburn, myotomy for achalasia (treatment of severe swallowing difficulty), groin hernia repair, common bile duct exploration, colon surgery, appendectomy, and gallbladder and spleen removal.

Dr. Telem’s research interests are in emerging bariatric practices, surgical education and simulation, and foregut pathology, including studies on gastroesophageal reflux disease and achalasia.

The author of 35 peer-reviewed journal articles and a frequent presenter at national medical meetings, Dr. Telem has garnered multiple awards and recognitions, including the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Researcher in Training Award in 2012.

Dr. Telem received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. She trained at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York as a surgical resident and rose to become the hospital’s Administrative Chief Resident and received the David A. Dreiling award for excellence in scholarly activity.

Free community informational seminars are held twice monthly by the Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Center. For more information, contact Stony Brook’s HealthConnect at (631) 444-4000 to register. An online webinar is available at bariatrics.stonybrookmedicalcenter.org/webinar.

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About Stony Brook University Hospital: Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) is Long Island’s premier academic medical center. With 597 beds, SBUH serves as the region’s only tertiary care center and Level 1 Trauma Center, and is home to the Stony Brook Heart Institute, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital, Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute, and Stony Brook Digestive Disorders Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk County’s only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu.