Meet Our Team
Dr. Atif Iqbal
Listed in Orange County Best Bariatric Surgeons
Dr. Atif Iqbal is the medical director of the MemorialCare Digestive Care Center at Orange Coast Memorial. He is a board-certified and fellowship trained surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive bariatric procedures and digestive disorder surgery. Dr. Iqbal completed his surgery residency and graduated as Chief Resident from Oakland Medical Center at Wayne State University in Michigan and completed his fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His areas of expertise include Gastro esophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s disease, benign and malignant disease of the esophagus and stomach, as well as motility disorders. He also specializes in minimally invasive and robotic weight loss surgery.
Bobby Sahil Gambhir, M.D
Dr. “Bobby” Sahil Gambhir is a board-certified General Surgeon who is fellowship trained in Bariatric and Reflux/Foregut Minimally Invasive Surgery. He received his medical degree from Michigan State University and completed his General Surgery residency at the University of California Irvine. His fellowship in Advanced GI/Minimally Invasive Surgery was accomplished at the University of Southern California. In addition to having the skill set of a general surgeon, Dr. “Bobby” has a unique expertise in the following:
– Bariatric. Bariatric expertise includes weight loss surgery (sleeve, bypass) and revisional
– Reflux/Foregut Surgery. Foregut expertise includes GERD, hiatal hernias, Barrett’s esophagus, motility disorders and achalasia. Additionally benign (GISTs) and malignant esophageal and stomach diseases.
-Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery
– Endoscopy including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, he attributes his successful upbringing to family and experiences. He prides himself on being well-balanced as his passions include family time, fitness and sports. He is supported by his loving wife, Dr. Puja Patel. His hobbies are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, exercising, hiking, and playing sports. He is an avid football fan as he loves the Spartans (Go Green!) and the Rams!
Dr. Gambhir is an active member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American Foregut Society.
Melissa Cerda
Melissa has worked in the healthcare field for over 10 years, and truly enjoys the wellness approach to healthcare. She enjoys reading and keeping up with the ever changing healthcare Industry, as well as implementing those changes in our office. In addition to managing the office, Melissa also handles the insurance and billing needs for the office. In her free time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her 2 young children and husband. She also enjoys hiking, weight lifting and cooking clean healthy recipes for her family.
Thanh Nguyen, FNP-C, RNFA
Thanh has joined Dr. Iqbal’s New Life Surgery since 2017. She is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse First Assist. Thanh received her Master’s of Science degree in Nursing from the California State University, Long Beach. In addition to being a nurse practitioner, Thanh gained extensive training as a surgical first assist with emphasis in general and bariatric surgery. Her training also included obstetric/gynecologic surgery, women’s health, gastroenterology, and primary care.
Thanh is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and American Nurses Association. She is fluent in Vietnamese. When she is not working, Thanh enjoys a good book and good music.
Grace (Hye Rin) Cho, PA-C
Grace is a Board Certified Physician Assistant who joined New Life Surgery team in 2021. She completed her undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Medical Anthropology, and went on to receive her Master’s of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Rutgers University, School of Health Sciences in New Jersey.
Since then, Grace received surgical training in several specialties, including general and bariatric surgery. She also has experience in family medicine and urgent care.
Grace is fluent in Korean and conversant in Spanish. On her days off, she enjoys watching new movies and traveling to different places.
