Dr. Peters
Dr. Peters joined Columbia Surgical Associates in 1988. A native of Illinois, he is a graduate of Western Illinois University and the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He completed his General Surgery residency at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis in 1987 and completed the fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Jewish Hospital in 1988. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery.

Since joining CSA, he has served terms as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at both Columbia Regional Hospital and Boone Hospital Center. Currently, he serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Boone Hospital Medical Staff. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

His primary clinical interests include gastrointestinal surgery and the development of advanced laparoscopic surgical techniques. Dr. Peters and his late partner, Dr. Vincent Gurucharri, brought laparoscopic general surgery to mid-Missouri in 1990, performing the area's first laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder surgery). They went on to lead the adoption of many other advanced laparoscopic procedures that have now become commonplace, including appendectomy, hernia repair, anti-reflux operations, colon resections and splenectomies. He was a co-author of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2004 which demonstrated that laparoscopic surgery is appropriate for many patients with colon cancer. Inside Columbia Magazine recently named him one of Columbia's "Top Docs."

Dr. Humphrey
Dr. Humphrey earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas in 1986. He completed his surgical internship at the Medical University of South Carolina. He continued his surgical residency at the University of Illinois and completed it at the University of Missouri in 1991. He completed his training with a Fellowhip in Vascular Surgery at the University of Missouri and joined Columbia Surgical Associates in 1993. He is board certified in both vascular and general surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Humphrey led the effort to bring endovascular surgical techniques to mid-Missouri. In 1999, he performed the first repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm using an FDA approved stent in mid-Missouri. Since then, the endovascular program at Boone Hospital Center has grown to become one of the leading sites for this type of surgery in the midwest. Dr. Humphrey and his partners have become recognized experts in this emerging field and have been asked to train surgeons and vascular fellows in training from around the midwest in these new techniques. These techniques include cryoplasty, Silverhawk® atherotomy, cutting-balloon angioplasty and stent grafts for periperal arterial disease (PAD). Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) for varicose veins is performed by Dr. Humphrey as an office-based procedure.

Dr. Humphrey was recently named one of "Columbia's Top Doc's" by Inside Columbia magazine. He was also recently named by Money Magazine, the Best of Healthcare Edition, to be one of the top physicians in the country for patients requiring procedures for carotid artery disease and peripheral arterial disease.

Dr. Etter
Dr. Etter joined Columbia Surgical Associates in 2009. Dr. Etter received his doctorate from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2004 and continues to teach at the university as an associate professor. Even though Dr. Etter is a native of the pacific northwest, he and his family now call Columbia their home. After serving in the Air Force in Europe and later competing as a professional cyclist, Dr. Etter has found a new passion in fighting breast disease as he is involved with the masters of breast surgery programs as well as plastics techniques. He is also a certified Lap Band specialist and contintues to fortify techniques in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery.

Dr. Pitt
Dr. Pitt joined Columbia Surgical Associates in 1993. A native of Iowa, he graduated from Northeast Missouri State University and attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine where he received his Doctorate in 1988. He served his internship and general surgery residency at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is board certified in General Surgery.

In 1993, he opened an office in Osage Beach, Missouri and built a large general surgery practice. He helped the Lake Ozark General Hospital attain trauma center designation and introduced advanced laparoscopic procedures to that institution. In 2000, he joined his partners in the Columbia office. He has led the development of a bariatric surgery program (surgery for weight loss) at Boone Hospital Center which offers both laparoscopic and open gastric bypass procedures and the Lap-Band procedure. His other interests include anti-reflux surgery and laparoscopic surgery.

Dr. Adams
Dr. Adams earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1988. He completed his General Surgery Internship and Residency at St. Paul Hospital/University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas in 1993. He completed a Fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1995. He is board certified in both General and Vascular Surgery. Dr. Adams’ interests include cerebrovascular disease, aneurysms, and endovascular surgery. He has presented over 25 papers at scientific meetings. He has published numerous scientific articles and textbook chapters dealing with a vascular disease.

Dr. Adams is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, American Medical Association, Missouri State Medical Association, Missouri Surgical Society, St. Louis Vascular Surgical Society, and the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Adams’ approach to vascular disease involves comprehensive evaluation with vascular testing as indicated, emphasis upon minimally-invasive treatment plans, and life-long strategies to treat vascular disease individualized to each patient.

Dr. Coats
Dr. Coats joined Columbia Surgical Associates in 2004 as the third Vascular Surgeon and sixth General Surgeon of the group. He was born and raised in Columbia, MO. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Medicine Cum Laude in 1997. In 2002 he completed his training in General surgery and in 2004 completed training in Vascular Surgery. He is board certified in both General and Vascular Surgery by the American Board of Surgery.

His interests include open and endovascular surgery. He and his partners in Vascular Surgery are involved in physician training programs to teach advanced endovascular techniques to other doctors from around the country.

Dr. Coats has extensive experience with minimally invasive vascular techniques and he and his partners have the longest and most experience with these techniques in Mid-Missouri. The procedures and techniques for arterial disease they have brought to the area include: Cryoplasty, Silverhawk arthrectomy (“roto-rooter”), cutting balloon angioplasty, stent graft aneurysm repair, Frontrunner catheter, Outback catheter and recanalization of arteries with the Viabahn stent graft.

In addition, Dr. Coats has the longest experience in Mid-Missouri for the treatment of venous disease using minimally invasive techniques. He was the first to use the endovenous laser for ablation of vein disease in this area. Unlike many physicians treating diseases of the veins, Dr. Coats has been specially trained and board certified in the treatment of all aspects of vein disease. Dr Coats is also involved in training physicians around the country in advanced endovascular techniques for the treatment of venous disorders.

Dr. Coats remains active in education by publishing numerous journal articles, giving several educational lectures each year and physician training. In addition, he is the Co-Chair of the Boone Hospital Ethics committee and is Director of the Boone Hospital Vascular lab.

Dr. Grossmann
Dr. Grossmann earned his medical degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia and completed his surgical internship and residency at St. Louis University, where he was most recently an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery and Director of the General Surgery Residency Program. He joined Columbia Surgical Associates in the spring of 2006. Dr. Grossmann is board certified in general and colorectal surgery and is an Associate Fellow with the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Laks
Dr. Laks joined Columbia Surgical in 2009. He is a native of Michigan, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelors of Science, and completed his Medical School at Sackler School of Medicine. He finished his internships and surgical residency at Saint Louis University Hospital. His areas of interest include endocrine surgery (surgery of thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, etc.) as well as breast and general surgery.

Kelly Nash, PA-C
Bio coming soon. Please check back.