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

• Can You Feel the Symptoms of Sepsis?

  Sepsis can be classified as a secondary illness which occurs as the body's reaction to a certain infection. Our body has its own capacity to fight a number of infections, germs and diseases through our immune system. Sepsis is also known as blood poisoning or septicaemia, and can lead to extreme...

• All About Vitamin B5 and Why We Need It

  What is vitamin B5?Vitamin B5 is also known as pantothenic acid. This B vitamin was initially discovered by chemist Roger J. Williams in the year 1931. Pantothenic acid was basically discovered in combination with other compounds, and around 1938, it was successfully isolated on its own.In 1933,...

• The Many Uses of Coconut Oil for Your Health

  What is coconut oil?Coconut oil is also known as copra oil. It is a famous type of oil that is used primarily for cooking at many households, which is extracted from the meat of matured coconuts and is usually reaped from coconut palm trees.Coconut oil has several uses apart from being a type of...

• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

  What is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)?Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of genetic disorders that affect the body’s connective tissues, which are proteins that support the blood vessels, skin, bones, and other organs in the body. Connective tissues also provide elasticity and strength to the...

• Vitamin D Deficiency Signs and Symptoms

  What is vitamin D?Vitamin D is an important element to building strong and healthy bones as well as good overall health. It is also a vital nutrient that makes sure that the brain, lungs, heart, and muscles function well.Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. The body can make its own vitamin D when...

• Alternative Treatments for Head Lice

  In case your child spends a night at a friend's house and later claims that the place had a lot of lice then you should know it is not a big deal. Though lice are spread from one person to another, they do not come with diseases and your child is just okay. In case you do not want to use clinical...