Dr. Merriman has long been at the forefront of surgical innovation. He was the first local bariatric surgeon certified on the DaVinci Xi robotic operating system and the first surgeon in the Christus Network to perform robotic bariatric surgery. He is also a LINX reflux device placement specialist. His commitment to excellence has earned him recognition as a "Center of Excellence" by MBSAQIP and the Surgical Review Corporation, as well as designation as a BLISCare Best in Class Surgeon.

Born in Louisiana but raised across the South—including Arkansas, Texas, and Alabama—Dr. Merriman returned to his roots after his medical training, joining The Mason-Itzig Clinic in 1992. The practice later became Surgical Specialists of Shreveport, LLC. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Southern Methodist University in 1983 and his medical degree, along with his surgery residency, from the University of Alabama Hospitals in Birmingham. He is board certified and a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (FASMBS), and holds memberships in the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), the Louisiana State Medical Society, and the Shreveport Medical Society, where he previously served on the Board of Directors.

A lifelong lover of technology, Dr. Merriman's curiosity has fueled his early interest in laparoscopy and surgical robotics, and he remains dedicated to staying on the cutting edge of knowledge and innovation in his field. Outside the operating room, he enjoys a rich and well-rounded life: he has been an accomplished drummer since age 12, loves movies (especially sci-fi and westerns), was the 1983 national college debate champion, and is a devoted Green Bay Packers fan who has made several pilgrimages to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

These well-rounded life experiences shape Dr. Merriman's deeply held commitment to treating his patients as more than their diagnosis. He follows a simple but meaningful philosophy: always treat people as an end unto themselves, and never as a means to an end. With his unmatched experience, technical expertise, and genuine compassion, Dr. Merriman offers a full range of bariatric procedures—including laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric banding, single anastomosis duodeno-ileostomy, and revision or conversion of prior surgeries—while also caring for patients who began their journey with other surgeons. For Dr. Merriman, every patient is a person first, deserving of respect, dignity, and the very best care.