USF Health Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery

Francesca Dimou MD, MS, FACS, FASMBS, is a fellowship-trained, board-certified general surgeon offering expert bariatric and gastrointestinal surgery services at USF Health. Dr. Dimou is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Within the GI Surgery division, Dr. Dimou specializes in primary and revisional bariatric surgery, foregut surgery, and endoscopy services. Dr. Dimou's goal is to help patients reach a healthier lifestyle while also improving their quality of life. She utilizes robotic technology to take on complex bariatric operations that may not be undertaken at other centers. She received her Medical Doctorate degree from USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, then completed her surgical residency with USF Health. During her residency she completed two years of research fellowship focusing on surgical outcomes at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. This training was followed by an advanced GI/minimally invasive surgical fellowship at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Dr. Dimou previously served as faculty at Washington University in St. Louis where she performed the first robotic gastric bypass at that institution and built a robotic bariatrics program including complex robotic revisional bariatric surgery within the university. Dr. Dimou was then recruited back to USF Health in October 2023 to bring her expertise to the University of South Florida + TGH bariatric program.

As a researcher, Dr. Dimou has contributed to over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, in addition to book chapters and editorials. Dr. Dimou is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She is also involved in the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and serves on the insurance committee for ASMBS. Dr. Dimou was born in New York but has lived in Florida most of her life. She originally wanted to pursue a career in medicine as she was interested in caring for those with autism as her younger sister is diagnosed with this disease. During her educational experience and training, however, she fell in love with surgery while offering lifechanging care to those in need, especially those battling the disease of obesity. In her spare time, she enjoys fitness and spending time with her husband, Scott, and their corgi pup, Giuseppe.

Salvatore Docimo, Jr., DO, MBA, FACS, FASMBS, is a fellowship-trained, board-certified general surgeon offering expert gastrointestinal surgery services at USF Health. Dr. Docimo is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Within the GI Surgery division, Dr. Docimo specializes in bariatric surgery, complex abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR), hernia repair and advanced therapeutic endoscopy services. Dr. Docimo's goal is to help patients achieve a healthy lifestyle while minimizing their recovery time. As such, he uses the latest technology, advanced techniques and minimally invasive treatments, including robotic surgery. He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He then completed a surgical residency at NYU Langone Hospital, Brooklyn followed by a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Docimo previously served as faculty at Stony Brook Medicine where he directed the Gastroparesis Center and co-directed the Center for Abdominal Core Health and Complex Hernia Repair. Dr. Docimo was the first to perform a per-oral pyloromyotomy (GPOEM or POP Procedure) in Suffolk County. Dr. Docimo has also been instrument in developing the endoscopic bariatric program here at the University of South Florida + TGH bariatric program.

As a researcher, Dr. Docimo has contributed to over 70 peer- reviewed journal articles and is the Co-Editor of Clinical Algorithms in General Surgery: A Practical Guide. Dr. Docimo is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He is also actively involved in the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the Americas Hernia Society (AHS). Dr. Docimo currently serves as the Co-Chair of the AHS Education Committee. Dr. Docimo enjoys experiencing what Tampa and the surrounding areas have to offer for him and his family. However, he remains a loyal New York Yankees and Rangers fan!

Dr. Saad graduated with honors from Austin College in Texas. His medical school training was at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He then completed his General Surgery residency training and research fellowship in Thoracic surgery at University of Texas Health in San Antonio. After residency, he practiced as a General Surgeon in Guam for almost five years. Following his time in Guam, he completed a Fellowship in Advanced Minimally Invasive GI and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He joined the University of South Florida surgical faculty in 2017 and quickly showed interest in surgical education. He has earned several teaching awards in his tenure here at USF and serves as the General Surgery Program Director. His clinical practice is comprised of benign and malignant diseases of the Upper GI tract where he serves as faculty in the USF Joy McCann Culverhouse Center for Swallowing Disorders as well as Abdominal Wall Reconstruction/Hernia where he serves as Director of the USF Hernia Center