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Inside A Dedicated Hernia Surgery Practice With Dr. Meshach Cober

• Garfield Bowen & Dr. Meshach Cober

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What if your hernia care could be truly tailored to your body, goals, and daily life? We sit down with Dr. Meshach Cober with Cober Hernia, a general surgeon who built a dedicated hernia center to offer patients more nuanced choices, clearer guidance, and outcomes that last. Instead of squeezing hernias into a generic surgical playbook, Dr. Cober explains why specialization matters: from diagnosing which hernias need immediate repair to identifying when watchful waiting is safe, and from choosing the right mesh to deciding between open, laparoscopic, or robotic techniques.

We explore the turning points that led him from hospital employment to running a focused practice with his wife, the gaps he saw in complex and recurrent hernia care, and how deeper repetition in one domain sharpens judgment and technique. Dr. Cober walks through how a specialist weighs durability, recovery time, and long-term comfort, and why a one-size-fits-all approach misses the mark. He also shares how the practice removes friction for patients—clear articles on hernia types, privacy-enabled texting, and simple ways to ask questions—so people can move from uncertainty to confident action.

Beyond the OR, we get candid about the human side: raising two young kids, catching peaceful moments at Florida’s clear springs, carving out time for faith and family, and how that grounded life shapes a compassionate approach to care. If you or someone you love is weighing hernia surgery, this conversation delivers practical insight, real options, and a reminder that expert help might be closer than you think.

Enjoyed the show? Follow for more local expert stories, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find reliable, patient-centered care. For more information on Cober Hernia, visit CoberHernia.com. 

SPEAKER_01:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Garfield Bowen.

SPEAKER_02:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you looking for her near surgery center? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Dr. Meshach Cooper. Dr. Cooper, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_00:

Good, thanks, and thanks for having me on this.

SPEAKER_02:

Listen, we're excited to learn all about you and your practice. Tell us about your business.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's a hernia surgery practice. So most uh hernia surgery is done by general surgeons uh who do a bunch of procedures. And um, so I'm a general surgeon, and uh this past year um we started, you know, my wife and I, we kind of we kind of got this going where we focus on hernias and we have a hernia dedicated surgery practice. So um there's only a handful of those around. So that's what it is. We kind of focus on hernias, uh, don't really do all the other stuff like I used to, and um yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So how did you get into this business? What made you want to become a doctor and specialize in in this area?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, when I was a kid, I think my mom was always kind of planting the seeds. Hey, you should be a doctor and all that sort of thing. When I was in college, I was uh EMT, which is you know, like with the uh not quite a paramedic, but um the same kind of thing. And I enjoyed that. I enjoyed anatomy and physiology and all of that. And so I went to med school and I kind of went through that process. I uh liked surgery the most. I kind of wanted to have a big impact on communities, and um so I did general surgery, and um, so I in general surgery you do a lot of stuff, abdominal things and hernias and some other things too. And uh so I did that for about 10 years after my training, and uh I kind of noticed that there was uh uh a lack of um surgeons doing uh certain kinds of hernia repairs, and I always had an interest in them, and um so we kind of decided, you know what, let's specialize, focus on this area, and offer that to people. And um, so that's what we did, and so that's what we've been doing.

SPEAKER_02:

We know we know that marketing is key to every business, and I guess um those people who need the surgery, I guess they kind of know by I guess visiting their primary or what other doctors that bring them to you. But what you're doing is pretty fascinating. Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

SPEAKER_00:

Uh I would kind of be very interested in it. I just haven't uh figured it out or know where to start, but uh I would be interested because there's there's a handful of docs in the country who kind of focus on hernias. And so I love learning from each other, sharing ideas and things like that. So I would I would kind of be interested in doing that. And I guess other topics too. As so, you know, just a little background. When I was working as a general surgeon, um, I was always working for the hospital. So when you work for the big corporation, right, you don't really have to think about anything except for like a narrow window of what do you do? You know, your surgeries and stuff like that. And so doing the practice now, I have to kind of think like you know, like you do, um, you know, the big picture. And so I'm kind of uh newbie when it comes to all that stuff. So I'm interested in all of these things, I guess. So um, yeah, there's a lot of topics I guess I'd be interested in too.

SPEAKER_02:

And and I know you you you mentioned your wife is in the the practice with you when you when you're not so busy with your business. Um what do you and your wife like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, okay, so we got two young kids, they're eight and six. So pretty much spending time with these kids. Um we love to just do family things together. My wife makes great food, so I love eating that food. Uh when we can, I like to go be outside. We don't do it as much as we can. This past weekend, we were able to go up to some of the springs near Orlando, which is just beautiful, you know, uh Wikiwa Springs, or there's those clear springs. So outdoor stuff, um, weekends, time we spend church activities, um, that sort of stuff. And then every now and again, my wife and I obviously really I really like to get alone with her, away from the kids, so I can just have some quality time with her.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that that that's important. Yeah, two kids will keep you busy, wait till they get a little older and start getting involved in sports and have you running all over town. That that that that's that's that's gonna be something. Now we're we're we're about out of time, but I want you to leave our listeners with one thing. If there's just one thing, what should they remember about Cooper hernia?

SPEAKER_00:

So uh, you know, we we started this just because we wanted to make ourselves available to the patients in this area and and beyond who wanted um some of the hernia expertise and options that they might not get at most surgeons. Not to say, you know, other surgeons are not doing the best job or anything like that, but we we offer some things that other docs don't offer. And you know, we're kind of focused on it. So um I'd like to think we do a good job and we kind of offer a variety of ways to fix things. It's not kind of a one size fits all. So, you know, for patients with hernia problems, you know, we just uh like them to know that we're there, we're available if they want, you know, to get uh our opinions on things and um just maybe some other options of how to fix hernias or not fix them. I mean, there's different things you can do. Uh basically, we will we just love to be available for patients with hernia.

SPEAKER_02:

And I know you have a slim niche, which is hernia, but I'm sure some of my listeners have um one word on their lips right now, and that's how. How do we get more information on Cooper Hernia?

SPEAKER_00:

So um people can go to our website, coberhernia.com. So it's c o b-e-r h e r n Ia hernia.com and or uh Google my name. And um there they'll, you know, we we tried to make the website have a lot of information, but it doesn't uh it starts out simple. So if they just want to know how to contact us, but if they want more information, there's a lot of articles and stuff which are very interesting on there, I think, anyways. And uh people can call us or send us a message, or our phone line is even um privacy text enabled, so people can text us too. So um, yeah, cobrahernia.com and um a few ways to get in touch with us.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh listen, Dr. Clube, we've been a pleasure of having you on the show. We wish you and your business the very best moving forward.

SPEAKER_00:

Thanks so much. Thanks so much for having me.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnplive.com. That's gnplive.com or call eight seven seven nine three four three three zero two.