Meet the Team

Let the UF Health St. Johns Bariatrics program help you overcome your obstacles. With world-renowned bariatric surgeon Dr. Robert T. Marema serving as medical director, we can help you defeat obesity once and for all. We can help you determine if surgery is right for you and which procedure best suits your specific needs.

Our comprehensive program includes access to nutritionists, exercise physiologists, psychologists, GI specialists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists and plastic surgeons, in addition to spiritual and emotional support groups.

Robert Marema, MD, FACS

Nationally recognized as one of the most respected surgeons in bariatric medicine, Dr. Marema has performed over 17,000 bariatric procedures.

Dr. Marema is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Medicine. He has served as a member of many reputable organizations, including the American Medical Association and the Florida Medical Association. Dr. Marema is a Fellow of the American College of Surgery and a Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery, among others. He specializes in open and laparoscopic surgery.

Having undergone successful bariatric surgery himself, Dr. Marema has a unique understanding of the process, which allows him to be informative and thorough with his patients as they navigate through their bariatric medical treatment options.

Whitney Marema, APRN

Whitney Marema is a nurse practitioner with certification in functional medicine, allowing her to bridge conventional medicine with a lifestyle approach to disease, troublesome symptoms and dysfunction. She provides postoperative care and coaching for bariatric patients in UF Health St. Johns’ weight loss and bariatric program as well as providing functional medicine evaluations and treatment for individuals seeking to identify and treat the root cause of their complaints and dysfunctions. Marema’s specialties include gut dysfunction, GI complaints such as GERD, bloating, IBS, food intolerances and sensitivities, as well as autoimmune diseases. She helps patients optimize their function and overall health using traditional and functional testing as well as lifestyle modification, including clean eating.