Skip to Main Content

Jennifer Schwartz, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery (Bariatric, Minimally Invasive)
DownloadHi-Res Photo

About

Titles

Assistant Professor of Surgery (Bariatric, Minimally Invasive)

Biography

Jennifer S. Schwartz, MD, MBOE, FACS, is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Schwartz earned her B.S. from Vanderbilt University and M.D. from SUNY Upstate Medical University. She then completed her general surgical residency and minimally invasive surgical fellowship at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.

As faculty, Dr. Schwartz was instrumental in the development of the robotic surgery program at The Ohio State University- East Campus, now one of the busiest academic robotic general surgery programs in the nation. Additionally, with a focus in operations efficiency, she then earned her Master’s of Business Operational Excellence (MBOE) at Ohio State University. Dr. Schwartz was subsequently recruited to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she developed a busy clinical practice at Howard County General Hospital and was an active lecturer in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She was also a finalist for the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery Halsted faculty teaching award for her efforts in education.

Dr. Schwartz's clinical interests includes hernia repair including abdominal wall reconstruction, as well as medical and surgical management of reflux and obesity. Her research interests include robotic surgery and medical student and resident education. Dr. Schwartz is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and is a member of several other professional societies including the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

MD
SUNY Upstate Medical University (2009)
BS
Vanderbilt University, Neuroscience (2005)

Research

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Jennifer Schwartz's published research.

Publications

2019

2017

2016

Clinical Care

Overview

Jennifer Schwartz, MD, is a surgeon who specializes in hernia repair and bariatric surgery, including minimally invasive and robotic techniques.

Growing up, Dr. Schwartz says there was never a doubt she would become a physician. “I come from a medical family and there’s an infamous story of us visiting a children’s museum when I was 6. There was a display on kidney transplants and my parents couldn’t peel me away,” she says. “I was fascinated with it and just continued on that track.”

In medical school, she narrowed her focus to anesthesia or surgery. “I soon realized I mostly cared about what the surgeons were doing during procedures,” she says. “And when I did a rotation on bariatric service and saw what a difference this surgery could have on people’s lives, I knew that was what I wanted to do. They were now able to do activities they maybe couldn’t do for 20 years.”

Likewise, Dr. Schwartz says it’s rewarding to perform bariatric surgery on younger patients—before diabetes, high blood pressure, and other complications to obesity can wreak havoc on their lives. “For both hernia and bariatric patients, I am often working with people who don’t have core or back strength, and these surgeries get them back to their lives as fast as possible,” she says.

When it comes to working with patients, Dr. Schwartz says she likes to sit down and talk to them. “I use a lot of pictures, describe the procedure, and really listen to them,” she says. “I’m not taking notes or working on the computer, but answering their questions and making them as comfortable as possible.”

Dr. Schwartz’s research interests include resident education and bariatric and robotic surgery.

Clinical Specialties

Gastrointestinal Surgery; Minimally Invasive Surgery

Fact Sheets

Board Certifications

  • Surgery General

    Certification Organization
    AB of Surgery
    Original Certification Date
    2014

Yale Medicine News

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number
Appointment Number
Mailing Address

Gastrointestinal Surgery

2000 Boston Post Road

Fairfield, CT 06824

United States

Locations

  • Patient Care Locations

    Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.