Nationally Recognized Surgeon Joins First Physicians Group for Advanced Treatment of Colorectal Cancer and Conditions

Sarasota Memorial recently recruited Sam Agarwal, MD, FACS, FASCRS, a nationally recognized colon and rectal surgeon and pioneer in single-incision robotic surgery, to lead the new Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery in its First Physicians Group network.

Fellowship trained in minimally invasive advanced rectal cancer management, colon and rectal surgery and trauma/critical care surgery, Dr. Agarwal joined First Physicians Group’s growing team of specialists and surgeons caring for people with colorectal cancer and colorectal conditions. Dr. Agarwal specializes in the advanced surgical treatment of rectal and colon cancers, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Dr. Agarwal offers a number of new and expanded treatment options previously unavailable in the region, including robotic, laparoscopic, single-incision, colostomy-sparing and no-incision transanal surgical techniques for colorectal conditions.

Prior to joining FPG, Dr. Agarwal led the robotic colorectal surgery team at the Cleveland Clinic Florida and served on the clinical teaching faculty. Dr. Agarwal also co-developed the robotic colorectal surgery program at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and later served as the Chief of Colon and Rectal Surgery and Chief of Robotic Surgery at West Virginia University.

After earning his medical degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV, in 2000, Dr. Agarwal completed his general surgery residency at West Virginia University-Charleston, WV, in 2005. He also completed advanced training fellowships in 3 subspecialities: colorectal surgery at Washington University/Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO, minimally invasive advanced rectal cancer management at Lankenau Medical Center and Research Institute/Marks Colorectal in Philadelphia, PA, and trauma surgery/surgical critical care at University of California, San Diego. During his time in Pennsylvania, Dr. Agarwal became one of the most experienced surgeons in the world in single-port robotic surgery.

Dr. Agarwal is triple board-certified in colon and rectal surgery by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, general surgery by the American Board of Surgery, and surgical critical care by the American Board of Surgery.

His practice, First Physicians Group Colon and Rectal Surgery, is located in Waldemere Medical Plaza, 1921 Waldemere St., Ste 401. For information or appointments, call (941) 262-1400.