Timothy Shope, MD, is a bariatric surgeon and Chief of the Section of Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) as well as the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).

Dr. Shope specializes in surgical weight loss using bariatric surgical techniques, specifically advanced laparoscopic techniques. He also sees patients for hernias, gallbladder conditions, solid organ surgery, and conditions of the bowels and the GI tract. His research interests include nutritional-based research within the surgical weight loss population.

Dr. Shope completed his medical degree at the Hahnemann University Hospital. He then completed his internship and residency training at the Albany Medical Center before completing his fellowship program at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Dr. Shope and his surgery group are one of the three sites within MedStar Health that perform weight loss surgery. They are also the only one of these groups that perform laparoscopic techniques. This advantage allows Dr. Shope to offer procedures with a different approach, translating into faster recovery for patients and getting them back to what is most important in their lives. He is an advocate of using bariatric surgery to not only help patients lose weight but to also help patients get off of their medications, help cure them of diabetes and even get rid of sleep apnea.

Philosophy of Care

"I do what I do so my patients can get back to the business of living. My primary goal is to be able to get patients back to the state of life that they want to be living. Some of my patients want to have the ability to play with their grandkids, and some just want to be able to walk up the stairs. I want my patients to gain control of their lives. The fact that I can help them do that is a very powerful thing.

As a surgeon, my number one responsibility is to be a human. My second responsibility is to be a doctor, and thirdly, to be the best surgeon I can be for my patients. I seek to build a functional relationship between my patients and me that fosters honesty and trust. I am always open to referrals and will do the job that is requested of me by referring physicians, to take care of their patients."