CMED professor, health surgeon earns obesity medicine certification
A Central Michigan University College of Medicine professor and health surgeon is now certified in obesity medicine.
Vasanth Stalin, an assistant professor of surgery, board certified surgeon with CMU Health and director of bariatric surgery at St. Mary’s of Michigan Bariatric Surgery Center, earned the certification through the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Stalin said the focus on obesity medicine is something that has really become a priority in the past few years, as the number of obesity cases continue to rise.
"Any sub-specialization in a specific field of medicine has specialty boards and the most recent board to be added is the American Board of Obesity Medicine," Stalin said. "Obesity is a modern epidemic and it's rates are rising. Thirty years ago, this wasn't the case."
The board exists to help obese patients, from helping change the patient culture to motivation, prescriptions and other options.
"This new board was specifically formed to make sure the physicians who gain board certification in this particular specialty of obesity medicine are truly equipped to manage and advise patients in the best way possible," he said. "That means having the skill set that will allow patients to be coached on lifestyle changes, making the right diagnosis and treatment, being able to identify behavioral processes that could be contributing to the problem and be able to take corrective measures"
