Dr. Schauer is passionate about helping patients make more informed decisions regarding their medical care. In particular, he strives to help obese patients understand the risks and benefits associated with bariatric surgery, and to understand the limitations and effectiveness of alternatives such as diet, exercise, and drug treatment. Dr. Schauer's work focuses on both the development of decision support tools and comparative effectiveness research.

In his current study, Dr. Schauer and his team are investigating the association between cancer and obesity and whether the degree of intentional weight loss impacts cancer risk after bariatric surgery. By studying outcomes associated with the most effective intentional weight loss intervention in a population of severely obese individuals who are at highest risk for developing obesity-related cancer, his team will be able to establish whether intentional weight loss can reduce cancer risk. The results of this novel study have the potential to motivate and guide future research and policy decisions.

Dr. Schauer became interested in studying obesity because he realized there was a lack of information on outcomes related to bariatric surgery that could help patients make an informed decision about whether to undergo the procedure. Investigating the impact of bariatric surgery and intentional weight loss on cancer risk was a natural extension of his previous work, as this research has the potential to provide patients with vital information regarding the consequences of their choices.