Dr. El Chaar completed a surgical internship at Drexel University in Philadelphia where he was elected surgical intern of the year. After his internship ,he completed his surgical training at St Luke’s University Hospital and Health Network in Pennsylvania and graduated in 2009, during his training Dr. El Chaar was awarded the resident of the year award two years in a row.
He then completed a fellowship in Bariatric and Minimally Invasive surgery at the University of North Carolina-Carolinas Medical Center. Dr. El Chaar also completed a two year research fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell University working on extracellilar matrix cytokines and fibroblast activity. He currently serves as the Network Director of Robotic Surgery and Innovation and Fellowship Director of Foregut and Bariatric Surgery at St Luke’s University Hospital and Health Network. Dr. El Chaar spearheaded the robotic program at St Luke’s University Hospital to become among the first centers in the US to perform robotic bariatric procedures. Dr. El Chaar is well published with more than 100 abstracts, videos and peer reviewed manuscripts. He is also the author of two best sellers “Dr. E’s guide to weight loss surgery…the weight is over” and “Bariatric Surgery Made Easy: Your Guide for A Successful Journey”.
He was nominated as America’s Top Surgeons and recently awarded the national obesity PAC award for patient advocacy which was awarded to him in the Musical Hall of Fame in Nashville Tennessee. He serves as the Chair of the foregut committee of the ASMBS and also serves on the clinical issues, education and access to care committees at the ASMBS. He currently lives with his wife and three kids in Allentown, Pennsylvania.