About Richard Chaffoo, MD
Dr. Richard Chaffoo has many exceptional credentials. He completed 3 postgraduate surgery fellowships that encompassed 9 years of training at the prestigious Stanford University Medical Center and UCSD Medical Center. He is one of a select few triple board-certified plastic surgeons having attained certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology, and American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Chaffoo has also been awarded Top Plastic Surgeon by Castle Connolly, an honor bestowed upon only 5% of plastic surgeons in the U.S. by his professional colleagues. Additionally, Aesthetic Everything® named Dr. Chaffoo the top hair restoration surgeon in 2016 and honored him as one of the Top 10 leading facial plastic surgeons in the West in 2015. Additionally, Ranch & Coast Magazine recognized Dr. Chaffoo's plastic surgery practice on its ""Best of 2018: Beauty"" list. These are just a few of the impressive achievements that set Dr. Chaffoo apart from the many other plastic surgeons in San Diego County, and the differences go beyond credentials. In the following interview, Dr. Chaffoo shares more about his life as a plastic surgeon, practice partner, husband, and father. If you're considering cosmetic surgery in San Diego County and researching plastic surgeons, request a complimentary cosmetic consultation online with Dr. Chaffoo or call (858) 304-7055 for an appointment. His office is in La Jolla on the Scripps Memorial Hospital Campus at the Ximed Medical Center. I was awarded a highly competitive full academic scholarship by the U.S. Navy for medical school following my acceptance into the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. I remained there for 4 years while I earned my M.D. degree. After completing medical school, I was selected to complete a surgical internship at the U.S. Naval Regional Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA, and also was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Medical Corps. This was one of the busiest military medical centers in the nation.Following this surgical internship, I was one of a handful of candidates selected to complete a surgical residency training in otolaryngology (head and neck surgery). This 5-year program included training in head and neck surgery as well as facial plastic surgery. The Navy was an amazing experience for me as a surgical intern and as a resident. Under the close supervision of board-certified attendings, we had the opportunity to care for patients and perform surgical procedures at a much more accelerated rate than in civilian programs. As such, the surgical training and experience we received was unmatched by any civilian training program and remains the same today. I was awarded a 1-year post-graduate fellowship in facial plastic surgery at Stanford University Medical Center. This highly competitive fellowship program is one of only a few dozen such programs in the country approved by the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). It was an opportunity to study with some of the finest, nationally renowned facial plastic surgeons in the U.S. During this fellowship program one of the finest in the U.S.A I had an opportunity to teach medical students, interns, and residents. I worked with world experts in the field. We saw patients from across the globe. Following this training, I completed my military obligation as Vice Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the U.S. Naval Regional Medical Center, San Diego, CA. During this time, I was involved in training medical students, interns, and residents in both head and neck surgery and facial plastic surgery. I proudly served as a United States Naval Medical officer for 11 years before entering private practice.
