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About Steven Patching MD
Industry-leading specialist Steven Patching, MD, offers General Surgery and Bariatric Care at his top-rated private practice in Sacramento, California. Since launching the first private practice bariatric program in 1999, Dr. Patching has performed many bariatric surgeries and specializes in the gastric sleeve and gastric bypass operations, using the most advanced minimally invasive techniques.
Dr. Patching earned his medical degree at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, and finished his general surgery residency at the UC Davis Medical Center. He was one of the first surgeons in the world to complete an advanced laparoscopic surgery fellowship in Liege, Belgium in 1993. In addition, Dr. Patching completed specialized robotic surgery training so he could offer patients the full spectrum of innovative cutting-edge bariatric and general surgery procedures.
Dr. Patching’s bariatric program was the first in United States to earn certification through the American Society for Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery.
Dr. Patching's center takes a preventive approach by helping patients avoid diseases instead of simply treating them when they arise. For example, bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of potentially fatal cardiovascular and liver diseases.
Schedule a general surgery or bariatric consultation from Sacramento’s premier advanced laparoscopic and robotic specialist.
In the Media
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My Journey into Medicine
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My Journey into Medicine
I knew at 9 years old I wanted to be a surgeon. I am not sure why, but I remember being fascinated by the human body, and how it works. My dad was a doctor and I couldn’t imagine becoming anything else. I recall him sitting me down, flipping through anatomy books, and eagerly imparting his knowledge to help me grasp the intricacies of the human body.
When I was nine, my father arranged for me to observe an operation, and “I was hooked!” This is the moment I knew I wanted to become a surgeon.
I am incredibly blessed to grow up and be exposed to medicine at an early age. When I was in high school Dr. Gordon Holmes allowed me to scrub into an operation at Alta Bates Hospital in Oakland.
I will never forget the feeling I had that day and decided to fully dedicate my life to medicine.
What Medicine Means to Me
I have been extremely lucky during my career as a surgeon. I was blessed with many experiences and teachings from some of the world’s best. Growing up in a medical family, I have had several mentors, but the most influential person in my professional career was Dr. William Blaisdell. My father and Dr. Blaisdell were roommates in medical school at Stanford.
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When I was in the pre-med track at CAL, I decided to reach out to Dr. Blaisdell. I wanted to see if I could somehow be involved in clinical experiences at San Francisco General. I believe he saw my burning passion for medicine because he allowed me to shadow his nationally ranked trauma team on Friday & Saturday nights. I could not believe it; this was a tremendous honor.
I will never forget those late nights in SF General, they were electric. I was surrounded by one of the best trauma teams in the country and I was watching them perform at the highest level through the most advanced emergency cases you could imagine. This experience truly transformed me.
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I eventually went to Medical School at UC Davis, and during this time Dr. Blaisdell was offered the position of Chief of Surgery there. Dr. Blaisdell started what was to become the top trauma center in the United States. He became an internationally recognized surgeon, and was a pioneer in the treatment of shock, the principles of which saved many lives in Vietnam. With his move to UC Davis, I decided this is where I wanted to do my training in General Surgery. I wanted to learn from the best.
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What shaped my career more than anything else was Dr. Blaisdell himself. Amongst his peers he was known for his incredibly pioneering work in advancing general surgery to the place it’s at today. However, what impressed me the most was not how he was known in the medical community but how he was known to his patients. And this is how Dr. Blaisdell taught me what being a doctor was truly all about.
Dr. Blaisdell embodied the fact that there is one thing at the center of medicine: the doctor patient relationship. He taught me how to treat a patient; like a member of your family. Dr. Bill taught me another valuable lesson, not through conversation, but through his actions. A Doctor does not leave the hospital when his/her shift is up. Medicine is not a 9-5. Medicine is for those willing to dedicate their life in service to the patients they are lucky enough to serve. As residents, 120-hour weeks were not out of the norm for us. Yet, early in the morning we would roll into the hospital and Dr. Blaisdell was already there. Believe it or not, when we would leave the hospital at 11:00PM that night, you would walk by his car in the parking lot on the way out. He was an example I was lucky to have. Thank you Dr. Blaisdell for teaching me what being a doctor was all about, giving all of yourself in service of taking care of your patients.