GENERAL SURGEONS & UROLOGY SPECIALISTS IN HATTIESBURG, MS
Deborah T. Azar, MD
Urology
Dr. Deborah Azar is a native of Pineville, Louisiana. She graduated from Louisiana State University in 1988 with a degree in Science Education. She attended medical school at Louisiana State University Health and Sciences Center in Shreveport, graduating with a Doctor of Medicine in 1993. She continued her education at Tulane University School of Medicine, first completing 2 years of General Surgery and then 4 years of Urology. She trained at Tulane University Hospital as well as the storied Charity Hospital in New Orleans and the New Orleans VA Hospital as well as several private hospitals in the New Orleans area. Upon completion of her training, she began practicing in Hattiesburg and is entering her 18th year of practicing in the Pine Belt.
She treats all subsets of urology patients including patients with incontinence, cancers of the bladder, kidney, or testis, recurrent infections, urologic diseases in children, kidney stone disease (including treatment and prevention), hormone/testosterone deficiency (including replacement therapy) and sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction, vasectomy, and vasectomy reversals. She is trained in minimally invasive treatment including laparoscopic treatment of kidney cancers.
Urology
Dr. Deborah Azar is a native of Pineville, Louisiana. She graduated from Louisiana State University in 1988 with a degree in Science Education. She attended medical school at Louisiana State University Health and Sciences Center in Shreveport, graduating with a Doctor of Medicine in 1993. She continued her education at Tulane University School of Medicine, first completing 2 years of General Surgery and then 4 years of Urology. She trained at Tulane University Hospital as well as the storied Charity Hospital in New Orleans and the New Orleans VA Hospital as well as several private hospitals in the New Orleans area. Upon completion of her training, she began practicing in Hattiesburg and is entering her 18th year of practicing in the Pine Belt.
She treats all subsets of urology patients including patients with incontinence, cancers of the bladder, kidney, or testis, recurrent infections, urologic diseases in children, kidney stone disease (including treatment and prevention), hormone/testosterone deficiency (including replacement therapy) and sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction, vasectomy, and vasectomy reversals. She is trained in minimally invasive treatment including laparoscopic treatment of kidney cancers.
George J. Azar, III, MD, FACS
General Surgery
Dr. Azar
is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1987 from Louisiana State University. He received his medical training at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, graduating with a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1991. He did a Surgical Internship at LSU in Shreveport and then completed his surgical training at Tulane University School of Medicine, operating at Tulane University Hospital and being fortunate to have trained at the storied Charity Hospital in New Orleans before its doors were closed by Katrina. He also received training at several private hospitals in the New Orleans area. He founded Southern Surgical Associates in 1998 and it has grown to a group of 8 doctors covering two surgical specialties. The practice is now home to a new state of the art clinic with a surgery center onsite.
Dr. Azar specializes in minimally invasive surgery with a particular interest in laparoscopic hernia repair which gives the patient a much quicker return to daily activities. He also has a special interest in disease of the breast including breast cancer and fibrocystic breast disease. He offers a multimodal approach to breast cancer therapy and has onsite breast ultrasound and biopsy capabilities for patient convenience and privacy. Dr. Azar is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is one of the primary surgeons for the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Department.
Nathan L. Compton, MD, FACS
General Surgery
Dr. Compton
is a native of Effingham, Illinois. He graduated from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville with a Bachelors Degree in Science with specialization in Biological Sciences. He then obtained his Medical Degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford Campus. After completing his Medical Degree, Dr. Compton completed his internship and surgical residency at University of Tennessee, Memphis. Dr. Compton joined Southern Surgery in 2016. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons as well as a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. Dr. Compton is Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery. He has special interest in Minimally Invasive Surgery, Hernia Surgery, and Colon Surgery. He is also certified in Robotic-Assisted Single Port Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Colon Resections.
Wesley G. Girod, MD, FACS
General Surgery
Dr. Girod
is a native of Baton Rouge, Lousiana and graduated from Louisiana College with a degree in Biology in 1990. He went on to medical school at Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport, graduating with an M.D. degree in 1994. He did his internship and residency in General Surgery at LSU-Shreveport, finishing in 2000. Dr. Girod has been in Hattiesburg with Southern Surgery since that time. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Member of The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Dr. Girod has a special interest in bariatrics and minimally invasive surgery. Specializes in: Robotic- Assisted Single Port Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Colon Resections, and Bariatric procedures.
Also, Dr. Girod is the only physician in the office that offers Laser Hair Removal and Botox, Juvaderm, and Latisse
Josh Hammons, FNP-C
Surgery
Surgery
Mr. Hammons
is a native of Mississippi, as he was born in Long Beach and raised in Hattiesburg. He received his education at the University of Southern Mississippi where he received a Bachelor of Science in the nursing program in 2015 and then received his Masters of Nursing in science in 2020. He gained experience in emergency medicine at Forrest General Hospital and surgical experience at Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg.
Josh is happy to now be providing services to the residents of the Pine Belt at Southern Surgery and Urology Center.
Joshua M. Holifield, D. O.
Surgery
Dr. Holifield is a native of Laurel, MS. He graduated from Mississippi College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology-Medical Science in 2011. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at William Carey University in 2016. Dr. Holifield completed his general surgery residency at Samaritan Health Services, Oregon in 2021. He joined Southern Surgery in 2023.
Dr. Holifield specializes in robotic-assisted procedures.
Charles R. Moore, MD
Urology
Dr. Moore
is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisana. He graduated from LSU with a BS in Microbiology in 1995, and went to Northeastern Louisiana University, finishing with a BS in Pharmacy in 1998. Dr. Moore graduated from medical school with an M.D. in 2003 from LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans. He did his internship at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, department of General Surgery. Dr. Moore did his Urology residency at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, finishing in 2008. He went on to complete an additional fellowship at the University of Miami in 2009 in Endourology focusing on robotics, laparoscopic urology, and minimally invasive kidney stone techniques. Dr. Moore joined Southern Urology in 2009.
He is also certified in robotic-assisted Urology Surgery
Dr. Moore is the only Urology physician who is fellowship trained in this area.
Hal T. Liddell, M.D.
Urology
Dr. Liddell
, a native of Hinds County, Mississippi, graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in
Medicine in 1977. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1980. After his internship and two years of a residency in General Surgery at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, he completed a residence in Urology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1986, whereupon he and his family located in Hattiesburg. Dr. Liddell merged his Urology Center practice into Southern Urology in July 2016, where he continues to enjoy practicing adult and pediatric urology.
Hope F. Pittman, NP
Urology
Urology
Mrs. Pittman
is a native
of Purvis, MS. She attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she received a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Microbiology in 2008. She then completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012 and she received a Masters of Science in Nursing in 2018. She gained experience in surgery at Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg.
In addition to being board certified in nursing by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, she holds memberships in the Mississippi Association of Nurse Practitioners.
