Growing up in Gardner, Dr. John Kelly first learned what it was liked to be a caregiver by spending time with his grandmother, who was a nurse. “I think her influence definitely helped get me interested in a medicine,” he explains. “It made me think about having a career that helped others and also had a positive impact on the community.”

Dr. Kelly originally thought that after medical school he would become a psychiatrist. “After a period of time, I realized that wasn’t quite what I wanted to do,” he explains. “I started to become interested in surgery because I liked the fact that you could solve a problem immediately and have a big impact on a patient’s health.”

After medical school, Dr. Kelly completed a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery and bariatric weight loss surgery at Saint Vincent Hospital. “I really enjoy this aspect of surgery and performing sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass surgery for my patients,” he explains. “We have an impressive bariatric surgery program here at Reliant that has helped many patients meet their long-term health goals. There is a lot of counseling and education involved and I enjoy that as much as the challenge of the surgery. I think the best thing about this type of surgery is that it can really improve people’s overall health quickly and lessen many serious health risks such as heart disease and diabetes.”

In his practice at Reliant Dr. Kelly also performs many general surgery procedures including hiatal and inguinal hernia repairs, gall bladder surgery, colectomies, appendectomies and surgery for GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). He is very experienced in robotic surgery, which allows the surgeon to perform minimally invasive procedures with better vision, flexibility and control. “I like performing this type of less invasive surgery since it uses smaller, more precise incisions and allows a faster recovery time for the patient with less post-operative pain,” he explains.

Whatever type of surgery Dr. Kelly is performing, he likes to work closely with his patients and always makes a point to listen to their concerns. “I think it’s important to work hand-in-hand with patients and get their input before going into the operating room. That’s the best way to help them reach their health goals.”

When he is not busy talking to patients or performing surgeries Dr. Kelly enjoys freshwater and saltwater fishing and spending time with family and friends.