Dr. Mark Blankenship, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Media Releases

Get to know Colorectal Surgeon Dr. Mark Blankenship, who serves patients throughout the State of Georgia.

A devoted physician, Dr. Blankenship is one of the first board-certified colorectal surgeons to practice in Chatham County. He co-founded Metro Surgical together with Dr. John Odom in 1994.

Metro Surgical is one of the largest single-specialty general surgical practices in the state of Georgia. The practice was established in 1994 and continues to grow and evolve in order to serve their patients in the coastal region. They offer the convenience of seven area offices in Savannah, Rincon, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Sylvania, Bluffton and Jesup.

A native of the Atlanta area, Dr. Blankenship attended Georgia State University, and earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia in 1997. He completed his residency in general surgery at the Memorial Health University Medical Center in 1997, followed by a prestigious fellowship in colorectal surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital under Dr. H. Randolph Bailey in 1998.

In pursuit of clinical excellence, the doctor is board-certified in both colon and rectal surgery and general surgery by the American Board of Colorectal Surgery (ABCRS) and the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABCRS and ABS are both an independent, non-profit organization founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge.

Recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), and a Fellow of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, he serves as the President of the medical staff and the Director of the Incontinence Center at St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital. He has also held many regional and national leadership positions.

Colorectal surgery is a field in medicine dealing with disorders of the rectum, anus, and colon. It covers caring for patients with cancers of the colon, rectum and anus along with other benign disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease), diverticulitis and a myriad of anorectal pathologies like hemorrhoids, fistulas, abscesses and fissures. 

On a more personal note, Dr. Blankenship’s interests outside of work include farming and playing guitar.

Recommended Articles

• Should Doctors Consider Brittle Diabetes Separate from Type 1 Diabetes?

  Back in 2012, a Long Island resident, Rosemarie Sorge, was rushed to the emergency room with diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a deadly condition that is characterized by an excess of ketones in the bloodstream, caused by a lack of insulin. These ketones are highly toxic and can create...

• Everything Parents Should Know Before Treating Heat Rash

  Heat rash, which is also called as "miliaria" or "prickly heat" is a condition that affects the skin mostly out of a blockage of the sweat ducts. The blockage of these sweat pores is mostly known to be as a result of excess sweating, which leaves the pores unable to excrete all the sweat. Upon...

• What Are Taste Buds?

  IntroductionHave you ever wondered why a particular type of food tastes so good? Your taste buds let you recognize different food flavors such as the saltiness of chips and the sweetness of candies or doughnuts. According to ancient Greek view, that there are seven basic tastes, which consist of...

• Aleve vs. Ibuprofen

  OverviewAleve and ibuprofen are both nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that have similar effects, but with important differences as well. Ibuprofen is an NSAID that is available under many brand names. The most common brands of ibuprofen are Advil and Motrin. Aleve, on the other hand,...

• Is Sinusitis Preventable?

  One of the leading reasons why individuals visit their doctors is sinus pain. According to research, approximately 37 million American citizens get symptoms for sinusitis like thick nasal discharge, sinus pain, and nasal congestion. That figure is on the rise due to an increase in pollutants and...

• Glucose Monitor May Eliminate Need for Finger Stick

  A novel system that has already been approved has a revolutionary technology to monitor blood sugar levels. It works with a small sensor that is placed on the arm of the person being monitored and gives reports minute by minute.Glucose monitoring is something that people with diabetes should do...