Scared of Surgery? How Modern Surgery Has Changed Everything

Baptist HealthTalk

Baptist HealthTalk
Scared of Surgery? How Modern Surgery Has Changed Everything
Apr 29, 2026
Baptist Health South Florida

Thinking about surgery can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be.

In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, Dr. Juan Carlos Verdeja, Chief of General Surgery, breaks down what general surgeons actually do—from treating hernias to removing gallbladders—and what recovery really looks like today.

Thanks to modern techniques like laparoscopic and robotic surgery, procedures are less invasive, recovery is faster, and patients are back to their normal lives sooner than ever.

We cover:

  •  What general surgeons treat 
  •  Common conditions like hernias and gallstones 
  •  When to seek medical care 
  •  What recovery really feels like 
  •  Debunking common myths about surgery 

🎧 Listen and feel more informed, prepared, and confident about your care.

Host:
Sandra Peebles
Award-Winning Journalist

Guest:
Juan Carlos Verdeja, M.D.
Chief of the General Surgery Division 
Baptist Health Medical Group
Affiliate Dean, Professor of Surgery & 
Director of Laparoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery,
FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine