E33: Bariatric Breakthroughs in Rural America with Dr. Kabir Mehta

What happens when Mayo Clinic precision meets small-town grit?

Dr. Randy Lehman sits down with Dr. Kabir Mehta, who never expected to land in Hazard, Kentucky–population 5,000–but now finds deep purpose in bringing advanced bariatric care to a region where patients used to drive hours for a specialist. 

This honest doctor's lounge conversation covers the real stuff: Dr. Mehta’s surgical strategies for handling bariatric emergencies, how he earned trust in a town where everyone knows everyone, and what it takes to not just survive but thrive in rural practice.

They dig into technical hurdles, financial realities, and those 2 AM moments when you’re the only one on call. But it’s not all struggle–there’s something powerful about practicing medicine where you know your patients’ stories and see the difference you're making every day.

0:00 Intro

5:11 Dr. Mehta's Background and Practice

14:42 How I Do It: Bariatric Emergencies

26:28 Managing Internal Hernias in Bariatric Patients

48:13 Embracing Failure and Learning from It

59:30 Missed Shuttle Story

1:08:48 Closing Thoughts

Resources Mentioned:

🌐 White Coat Investor: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/

▶️ Dr. Kabir Mehta's YouTube channel: @KabirMehtaMD