Dr. Igal Breitman has been a general surgeon for 26 years. Prior to joining Cheyenne Regional, he was the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery at the State University of New York in Brooklyn and the Director of Bariatric Surgery at the University of Illinois in Rockford. Dr. Breitman was inspired to go to medical school when he was working for a hospital as a patient transporter. "I fell in love with bariatric surgery because of the life-changing effect on patients' lives and the long-term relationships," he says of his specialty. He believes that patient care is a privilege. "They trust me with their lives and I never take that responsibility lightly. Everything I do as a physician is based on that foundation. Be the best you can, get to know your patient, use compassion, don't patronize, don't judge and communicate! My priority is always put the patient's best interest."