A Qualified Surgeon?

The surgeon that will do my surgery was recommended to me by my internal medicine doc. He has already taken out my gall bladder. I trust him, although I have no statistics to base that on. I will ask him how many VSG's he has performed, but I don't know what do do with the answer.  Now many surgeries make a surgeon well qualified?

A lot. I believe it's a minimum of 100. Ask him what his EWL statistics are. Ask him his stats on leaks. Ask him what size Bougie he uses. Ask about his follow up plan. Do some research before you discuss the surgery with him. This surgery is not standard so it's important for you to find a surgeon who knows what he is experienced and has good statistics to back him up.