J. R. Salameh, MD, facs, FASMBS

Dr. J. R. Salameh is a board-certified general surgeon with advanced fellowship special training in minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery.

After obtaining his medical degree. from Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Dr. Salameh did his General Surgery training at Georgetown University and then completed a Laparoscopic/Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.  Prior to moving back to the Washington DC area in July 2007, he was Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Surgery Simulation Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.  

Dr. Salameh is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. In addition, he is a member of a number of prominent professional societies including the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, the American Hernia Society and several other national groups.  Dr. Salameh is the author of numerous publications, journal articles and textbook chapters, primarily in the fields of minimally invasive surgery, bariatric surgery and hernia surgery and is considered a national expert in these areas of surgery.  He is also a frequent lecturer and scientific presenter on topics in his area of expertise. He has been an educator his entire career and trains surgical residents as well as other surgeons in various surgical procedures. He currently holds the rank of Professor of Clinical Surgery at Georgetown University.

Dr. Salameh is sought after for his expertise in advanced laparoscopic or minimally invasive surgery, including robotic Da Vinci surgery, and he takes a laparoscopic (“key hole”) approach to operations on the esophagus, stomach, bowels, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen whenever possible.  He established the Virginia Hospital Center’s Center for Bariatric Surgery in 2007 and is the Medical Director of the Center.   He performs all types of weight loss surgeries, including complex revisional surgeries, and is only one of a couple of surgeons to offer the duodenal switch in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He is also one of first in the area to offer the non-surgical intragastric balloon for weight loss.

Dr. Salameh is married to Carla and has four sons. He enjoys golf, reading, home improvement and the theatre.

PUBLICATIONS

View all Dr. Salameh’s articles published in peer-reviewed journals here.

Insurances accepted

• Aetna

• Anthem BCBS

• BCBS Out of State Indemnity & PPO Plans

• CareFirst BCBS

• Cigna

• Coventry Health

• First Health

• Humana (Medicare only)

• Innovation Health - Excluding QHP & Signature Plus plans

Dr. Salameh has been repeatedly named TOP DOCTOR in Washingtonian Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine