Dr. Cheickna Diarra, MD, FACS

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Dr. Diarra is a general and robotic surgeon with extensive expertise in minimally invasive general surgery, bariatric surgery, and robotic surgery. His passion involves advocating for advances in minimally advanced laparoscopic techniques to improve the lives of patients after surgery.

Dr. Diarra is currently serving patients at the Kaiser Permanente in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente is recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. The organization exists to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of its members and the communities it serves.

Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Diarra worked in a general surgery practice in New Mexico. While he was there, he became interested in advanced surgical technology and minimally invasive (keyhole) surgery. He realized that patients who underwent minimally invasive procedures experienced less postoperative pain, were discharged from the hospital earlier, and were more likely to go back to work sooner than those who underwent traditional “open” operations with larger incisions. Therefore, he decided to move to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where he successfully completed a grueling one-year fellowship in minimally invasive and robotic surgery. During his fellowship training, Dr. Diarra learned how to perform very complex operations through small incisions using the latest and most advanced technology.

Dr. Diarra has hospital privileges at Emory University Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Diarra was born and raised in the south of France in the beautiful city of Marseille. Spending time following his family doctor in his office and realizing the positive impact he had on his patients is what sparked Dr. Diarra’s interest in medicine. Having decided to become a physician by his early teen years, he came to the United States after high school with hopes of studying medicine.

Dr. Diarra received his medical degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He then went on to complete his residency at Cooper University Hospital, followed by his fellowship training at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

Dr. Diarra’s medical training led him to various regions of the U.S., providing him with many opportunities to interact with people of various backgrounds and cultures. He truly believes that the experience helped him to become a more caring, empathetic, and well-rounded individual.

Dr. Diarra’s love for treating complex diseases and improving the quality of life of his patients led to his interest in surgery. During medical school, he quickly developed a passion for surgery because of the powerful and immediate impact it can have on patients’ health.

Dr. Diarra is a Fellow of the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABS is an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The organization was founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training and knowledge.

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland. Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery that is done using robotic systems. As a general and robotic surgeon, Dr. Diarra is skilled in minimally invasive general surgery techniques, acute care surgery, and trauma surgery. He also has extensive experience in medical error prevention, patient safety, and litigation for medical negligence. “I try to practice what I preach. I truly believe that many of today’s diseases can be easily prevented by focusing on healthy eating and exercise. I try to exercise 4 to 5 times a week, combining aerobic and strength training workouts 30 minutes at a time. I find it relaxing and it is one of the best ways to strengthen myself physically, mentally, and spiritually” said Dr. Diarra.

Dr. Diarra is a big fan of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). In his spare time, he practices Brazilian jiu jitsu, boxing, Judo, and karate. He also enjoys spending time with his wonderful wife and their three beautiful children. The family enjoys watching movies together, playing outdoors, as well as traveling - especially internationally.

In addition to English, Dr. Diarra speaks Spanish and French.

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