If possible attend as many seminars as you can. The seminars are led by the surgeons so this will give you an opportunity to meet and listen to that surgeon to see if there may be a possible fit for your needs and requirements. Not all surgeons perform all surgeries and seminars are free of charge

Next to deciding to have WLS, the most important decision you will make will be choosing your surgeon.

If you have a good bariatric surgeon in your area, you may want to reconsider going to another surgeon far away. The aftercare services that you will miss out on due to that decision may not be a wise decision. From what I have heard through the years from posting here at Obesity Help is that Dr. Weaver is an excellent surgeon, and her having a long waiting list is also a good indicator of her excellent reputation. July or early fall really isn't that far away.

As far as seeing your surgeon on a long term basis, that would not be a factor. When you attend your "center of excellence" after care or follow up appointments you will generally see a qualified staff member that has been put in charge of your after care. Your surgeon is the most important component of your WLS team and your valuable supporting team members will be qualified professionals including the Physician Assistant, Nurse, Bariatric Coordinator, Nutritionist and the list goes on. Everyone I listed here has played key roles in my weight loss surgery journey over the past 4 years, and they know I would not trade them for anything.