Dr. Melanie Howell is a compassionate bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon who is dedicated to improving her patients’ health and quality of life. Recognizing the uniqueness of each person, she fosters safe, inclusive spaces where patients can be authentic without fear of judgment or discrimination. The most rewarding part of her work, she says, is empowering patients and helping restore their confidence.

Dr. Howell earned her medical degree at Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans. She completed her general surgery residency at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, and then a fellowship in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine. She also has a master’s degree in pharmacology from Tulane. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) as well as the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

Dr. Howell is passionate about health care equity and reducing weight-based stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings. She conducts research on weight regain after medical intervention and the intersection of obesity and food insecurity. She has been published in many peer-reviewed journals and has lectured across the country.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Howell was previously the Trauma Medical Director at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, New York, a rural affiliate of Columbia University in Manhattan. At Bassett, she served as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery.

She is proud to be at Holy Name because it offers personalized care in an intimate setting near patients and their families.