Dr. M. Asem Bakkar, MD

Media Releases

Get to know General Surgeon Dr. M. Asem Bakkar, who serves patients in Canon City, Colorado.

Dr. Bakkar is a general surgeon who can be found on staff at St. Thomas More Physician Group – General Surgery in Canon City, Colorado.

As a Centura Health Physician Group, St. Thomas More Physician Group – General Surgery was recently awarded the top five most improved general surgery practices in patient satisfaction, as compared to other surgery practices in the Centura Health network that spans Colorado and Kansas. The team of professionals within the group perform procedures and surgeries such as colonoscopies, EGD’s, thoracic surgery, gallbladder, hernia, appendectomies, bowel resections, colostomy, breast biopsies, lumpectomies, and mastectomies. They are dedicated to providing safe, high-quality surgical care and outstanding clinical outcomes. 

On the subject of his educational background, Dr. Bakkar received his premed requirements at Arapahoe Community College and Shoreline Community College. He then went on to earn his medical degree from the University of St. Eustatius School of Medicine. Upon graduation, he completed his clinical rotations at the Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley and the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. He was then off to his surgical residency with the Maricopa Integrated Health Systems in Phoenix, Arizona. There, his training and specialties included open appendectomies, colon and rectal surgeries, various hernia repairs, thyroidectomies, as well as gallbladder and stomach surgeries. 

Upon embarking on his professional journey, the doctor started out as a Volunteer Research Assistant in the Mayo Clinic’s Tumor Biology Program. From there, he served as Managing Hyperbaric Supervisor at the University of St. Eustatius. He then moved into the surgical field, working as a surgical resident, general surgeon, locum general surgeon, and contract general surgeon across the United States before coming to St. Thomas More.

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland. A general surgeon performs a wide range of abdominal surgeries for many forms of intestinal and abdominal wall neoplasms, gallbladder disease, gastric and pancreatic disease. They follow the patient through critical care and surgical recovery all the way to outpatient care. 

Outside of the office, Dr. Bakkar enjoys hunting, fishing, and listening to music. He likes to spend his free time playing guitar and bass.

Recommended Articles

• 3 Reasons Why You Would Need a Hysterectomy

  The uterus or womb, which nurtures and gestates a growing fetus till it becomes mature enough for delivery, can also become the source of life-threatening complications that require surgical intervention. There are at least three prominent reasons why a hysterectomy (uterus removal) might be...

• What Are the Most Obvious Symptoms of Appendicitis?

  Appendicitis is a condition that causes the inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a tube around 3½ inch long and extends from the large intestine. It is said that the appendix has a role in gut immunity, but nothing as yet is definite with regard to its function. An individual can live...

• What Is the Epiglottis?

  What is Epiglottis?Epiglottis is a elastic flap of tissue that is shaped like a thin leaf and situated at the root of the tongue. It protects the opening between the vocal cords, known as the entrance of the glottis. Epiglottis is covered with mucous membrane, which is a yellow elastic cartilage...

• What Is an Abdominal Hernia?

  When a piece of tissue or an organ protrudes from its normal position, the condition is called a hernia. An abdominal hernia occurs when a piece of bowel protrudes through a weak area of the abdominal walls. Muscle and tissue layers form the abdominal walls. Weak spots may arise from these layers,...

• How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy

  A colonoscopy is an examination that lets your health practitioner view the lining of your colon (large intestine). A thin and flexible tube known as a colonoscopy is used to thoroughly view the colon. A Colonoscopy is also applied when screening for precancerous or cancer growths inside the colon....

• What Are the Risks of a Laparoscopy?

  Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure that is done to examine various abdominal organs or female pelvic organs. The procedure is sometimes called as "diagnostic laparoscopy" or "keyhole surgery". This procedure can identify problems such as adhesion, fibroids, infections, and cysts.The procedure...