Meet Dr. Donald Waldrep

Meet
Dr. Donald Waldrep

Redefining Weight Loss with Experience, Innovation, and Compassion.

With over 30 years as a minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgical and medical weight loss surgeon in California, Dr. Waldrep offers patients a personalized transformation.

Dr. Waldrep's experience in numbers

years of experience

patients

days

medical procedures

Donald J Waldrep, MD FACS

Dr. Donald J. Waldrep is a board-certified general surgeon with over 25 years of experience in medical and surgical weight loss. He is renowned for developing “The WRAP,” an innovative stomach reshaping procedure that offers a minimally invasive alternative to traditional weight loss surgeries. Dr. Waldrep has performed several thousand weight loss procedures in helping patients achieve their weight loss goals.

Credentials & Experience:

Medical Certifications & Education

Board-Certified Surgeon with 25+ years in minimally invasive surgical techinques and medical weight loss
Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery
Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS)
American Society for Metabolic & Weight Loss Surgery (ASMBS)
Certification by ASMBS Essentials, Advanced, and Masters Courses
Certificates in weight loss surgery training from the University of Pittsburgh and Stanford University

Leadership & Academic Roles

Medical Director for a Weight Loss Surgery Center of Excellence
Assistant Clinical Professor for the first Minimally Invasive Surgery division at University of Southern California
Appointed to the Inaugural Surgery Review Committee, Establishing Center of Excellence Guidelines Worldwide
Panel member for the weight loss Surgery Policy Workgroup (California Association of Health Plans)
Expert panelist for the Obesity Provider Toolkit by CMA Foundation and California Association of Health Plans
Panel member of the weight loss Challenge Advisory Meeting consortium
Panel member for Global Insights for Gastric Banding (one of six US leaders selected)

Innovations & Clinical Contributions

Developer of The WRAP (Imbrication Gastroplasty), an outpatient minimally invasive weight loss procedure
First private-practice FDA sanctioned “Low BMI” Banding procedures
Early pioneer in advanced laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery
Created a “top tier” single-surgeon weight loss surgical practice model

Surgical Expertise

Personally performed several thousand minimally invasive weight loss procedures, including gastric bypass, gastric banding, gastric plication, gastric sleeve, ORBERA® balloon placement, and revision procedures.

Publications & Media Features

Published in: Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, Annals of Surgery, American Journal of Surgery, Surgical Endoscopy, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, American Surgeon
Contributor to multiple textbook chapters
Featured on NBC-TV, ABC-TV, E! Entertainment, and USA Today