Mr Mark Smith

Biography

Dr Smith is a Consultant General Surgeon at Southland Hospital with specialist training and experience in advanced laparoscopic surgery including laparoscopic weight loss surgery. Dr Smith completed medical school and specialty General Surgical training in New Zealand and was convocated as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2005. Following his General Surgical specialty training he undertook further specialty training in surgery of the liver and bile ducts in Edinburgh, Scotland; and Bariatric and Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery in Oregon, USA. He also completed a Master of Medical Science Degree in evidence based medicine which was conferred with first class honours. Following this, Dr Smith worked in the USA for two years as a specialist bariatric surgeon at Oregon Weight Loss Surgery, a certified bariatric center of excellence. In 2011, Dr Smith chose to return to New Zealand to raise his family and to establish the bariatric surgery program at Southland Hospital. He has conducted extensive research in to improving the safety of bariatric surgery and published multiple peer reviewed articles and book chapters. These include ‘Surgical options for failed laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding’ in the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery textbook. Dr Smith’s current surgical practice involves the application of advanced laparoscopic (keyhole) techniques for weight loss surgery as well as the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux, hernia, and gallstones. Dr Smith also has an interest in complex abdominal wall reconstruction following hernias and diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and colonoscopy. Dr Smith is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Otago and a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand, and OraTaiao – The New Zealand Climate and Health Council. Post Fellowship Training Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Member of The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Member of The Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand Member of The Australian and New Zealand Gastro-Oesophageal Surgery Society Member of The Australian and New Zealand Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Association

Research Interest

General surgery Laparoscopic surgery Laparoscopic bariatric (weight loss) surgery Laparoscopic hernia surgery Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery Laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery Abdominal wall reconstruction surgery Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and colonoscopy