Vandalia Health welcomes bariatric, minimally invasive surgery expert

Vandalia Health welcomes Sheetal Nijhawan, MD, FACS, FABOM, FASMBS, to its medical staff, bringing decades of advanced surgical experience and clinical leadership to the organization’s bariatric and minimally invasive surgery program.

Board-certified in general surgery, obesity medicine and metabolic bariatric surgery, Dr. Nijhawan is a fellowship-trained specialist in minimally invasive and bariatric procedures. She most recently served as Chief of the Department of General Surgery and Medical Director of Bariatrics at Sharon Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania, where she also held multiple leadership positions, including President of the Medical Staff and member of the Board of Directors.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Nijhawan to Vandalia Health,” said Karen Friggens, Vice President of Physician Services, Mon Health Medical Group. “Her deep expertise in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery, combined with her passion for sustainable and equitable care, will further strengthen our mission to deliver quality, patient-centered care across our region.”

Dr. Nijhawan completed her surgical residency at the Cleveland Clinic, followed by a prestigious fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at the University of California, San Diego. She has held academic appointments, published extensively in leading medical journals, and presented at more than 40 national and international conferences. Her research focuses include the effects of bariatric surgery on cardiac function, metabolic improvement and surgical sustainability.

In addition to her clinical and academic achievements, Dr. Nijhawan serves on numerous national committees, including the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), and the American College of Surgeons (ACS). She has played an active role in advancing access to care, surgical education and environmentally responsible practices in the operating room.

Dr. Nijhawan is now accepting patients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit MonHealth.com/Surgery or call 304-599-1448.