Rana Pullatt, M.D., Elected President of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

The MUSC Department of Surgery is excited to announce that Rana Pullatt, M.D., an internationally recognized leader in bariatric and robotic surgery, has been elected President of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The ASMBS is the world’s leading organization dedicated to advancing the science, practice, and education of metabolic and bariatric surgery. Dr. Pullatt will begin his presidential term in June 2027, following a rigorous and highly competitive selection process. He assumes the role of Vice President starting July 2025, President-elect in July 2026, and President in July 2027.

“Dr. Pullatt has earned the respect and admiration both within MUSC and globally—for his exceptional surgical expertise, his compassionate care for high-BMI patients, and his collaborative, team-based approach,” said Prabhakar Baliga, M.D., Chair of the MUSC Department of Surgery. “I congratulate him on this well-deserved honor to lead the ASMBS.”

In 2023, Dr. Pullatt was recognized with the ASMBS Foundation’s Clinical Excellence Award, the organization’s highest honor, underscoring his impact on patient care and surgical innovation. In 2024, the Obesity Surgery Society of India recognized him with the Honorary Life Membership of the Society for his outstanding contributions to the field of obesity surgery and his unwavering commitment to advancing the mission and values of the Obesity Surgery Society of India.

A pioneer in his field, Dr. Pullatt serves as chief of the Division of Foregut and Metabolic Surgery, and Director of the Bariatric and Robotic Surgery Program at MUSC. He is also a Diplomate in Obesity Medicine and Director of Bariatric Surgery for VISN-7 at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, providing care to veterans across South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

He is renowned for his commitment to innovation and education, especially in treating some of the most complex, high body mass index (BMI) cases in the state. A global authority in robotic surgery, he has performed over 2,400 robotic procedures to date. He was the first surgeon in South Carolina to perform a laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch and is a pioneer of the robotic duodenal switch procedure. His leadership helped establish one of the first structured robotic surgery training curriculums in the U.S., enabling general surgery residents at MUSC to achieve robotic certification.

In addition to mentoring residents, Dr. Pullatt has trained and certified attending surgeons across the country and regularly hosts international surgeons seeking hands-on experience in advanced robotic and bariatric techniques.