Dr. Thigpen is a general surgeon with numerous years of experience performing various types of surgery including the surgical treatment of cancers such as colon, breast, liver, pancreas, gastric tumors, rectal, skin, thyroid and adrenal glands. He frequently performs laparoscopic procedures for the gallbladder (cholecystectomies), appendix (appendectomies), colon (colectomies), liver biopsies, hernias and various staging procedures for cancer. He also performs port-a-catheter placements for chemotherapy patients and is one of the few surgeons in the area currently performing radio-frequency ablation of liver lesions and insertion of mammosite for breast cancer patients. 

He received his medical degree from University of Miami in Miami, FL and completed his internship at University of Florida’s University Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. He completed four years of fellowships and was Resident and Chief Resident at University Hospital of Jacksonville.

Dr. Thigpen is an active medical staff member at Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he has been Chief of the Division of General Surgery and Chairman of the Surgery Department. He has previously held the position of Surgery Section Chief and Surgery Spokesperson at Watson Clinic. 

He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners. 

Dr. Thigpen is a member of the Florida Medical Society, Florida Medical Association, American Medical Association, Florida Association of General Surgeons, Southeastern Surgical Congress, Association for Academic Surgery, American Society of Breast Surgeons, and a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons.

To make an appointment with Dr. Thigpen, please call (863) 680-7486.