Dr. McKernan maintains a private practice in Woodstock, Georgia and specializes in videoscopic minimally invasive general surgery with privileges at the Advanced Surgery Center of Georgia in Canton, Georgia; Emory Crawford Long in Atlanta, Georgia; and Buckhead Ambulatory Surgery Center in Atlanta, Georgia.  He earned his medical degree at the University of Alabama, where he also completed his internship in 1971.  Other graduate degrees include an MA in Bio-chemical Physiology in 1967 from the University of Texas and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Alabama in 1973.  He completed his surgical residency at the Carraway Methodist Medical Center in 1977.

Board-certified in surgery in 1978, re-certified in 1987, and certified as an “Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon” in 2003 by the American Society of General Surgeons (ASGS), Dr. McKernan holds memberships in several societies and associations, including the American Medical Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, Cobb County Medical Society, International College of Surgeons, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), The American Hernia Society, The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, The Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, ASGS, and honorary member of the Indian Association of Gastrointestinal Endo-Surgeons.

Dr. McKernan is President (2006-2007) of ASGS; a founding member and past President (2003-2004) of the Carraway Surgical Society; founding member and past President (2004) of the United States Laparoscopic Founders Society (USLFS).  Through ASGS and USLFS, Dr. McKernan was instrumental in the development of the Proficiency Assessment of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills (PALSS) program (a peer review of surgical skills for practicing general surgeons) and the establishment of the annual ASGS “Expert Witness Guidelines and Ethics: A Certification Program.”

Dr. McKernan is currently one of the world leaders in endoscopic surgery.  He performed the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the United States and has continued to develop advanced endoscopic procedures including repair for hiatal hernia, esophageal reflux, spleen, ulcer disease, inguinal hernia, and colon disease.  He also performs laparoscopic surgical treatment for obesity including Lap-Band®  , gastric sleeve, and re-do of prior bariatric surgery.  He specializes exclusively in the practice of videoscopic minimally invasive general surgery.

Dr. McKernan lectures and teaches nationally and internationally (Brazil, India, Japan, Australia, Italy, Belgium, France, England, Germany, Turkey etc.) in the field of endoscopic surgery.  He does telesurgeries for surgical courses and meetings both nationally and internationally.  He has published articles in such journals as The American Surgeon, the Southern Medical Journal, the Japanese Surgical Journal, the Journal of the Medical Association of Georgia, Surgical Clinics of North America and Surgical Rounds on endoscopic surgery.  He is also co-editor of the textbook Principles of Laparoscopic Surgery published by Springer-Verlag, 1995.  Dr. McKernan was Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Kentucky from 1991 - 1993 and Clinical Professor of Surgery and Co-Director of the Endoscopic Training Program for Advanced Endoscopic Surgical Techniques at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia from 1993 - 1998.  He is presently Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia.
 
The Indian Association of Gastrointestinal Endo-Surgeons honored Dr. McKernan at their 2nd Annual Conference held in 1996 at Mumbai (Bombay) for his outstanding contribution and advancement in the field of laparoendoscopic surgery.  He received the 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award from The Alumni Association of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas for his outstanding contributions to the community of mankind.  The Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons presented the 1998 Excel Award to Dr. McKernan in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of operative laparoscopy.  He has appeared on the “Today Show” and “Good Morning America,” and has done many interviews for the local media and publications in an effort to present the latest videoscopic minimally invasive techniques in general surgery.  He currently hosts “The Health Hour” on Thursdays at 9:00 AM on Radio Sandy Springs in Sandy Springs, Georgia (radiosandysprings.com).