A Philosophy based on Natural Results
The fact is, no law states that cosmetic surgery has to be performed by a surgeon actually trained in plastic surgery. So, what does it mean when a La Jolla or San Diego plastic surgeon like Dr. Richard Chaffoo is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS)? The ABPS requires that any surgeon it certifies has:

• Graduated from a 4 year accredited medical school
  
• Completed 5 years of surgical training, 2 of which must be in plastic surgery
  
• Practiced for at least 2 years after the completion of residency training
  
• Passed written and oral examinations in plastic surgery

Dr. Chaffoo has met and exceeded all of these requirements. He:

• Possesses a four-year college degree
  
• Graduated from a four-year accredited medical school
  
• Completed a five-year surgical residency in Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery)
  
• Completed an additional two-year plastic surgery residency
  
• Has been practicing plastic surgery far longer than two years, and
  
• Passed exams (oral and written), underwent rigorous peer reviews and attends continuing education courses

In addition, Dr. Chaffoo completed 3 postgraduate fellowships, totaling 2 additional years of surgical training. Two of the fellowships were at Stanford University Medical Center, one in Facial Aesthetic Surgery and the other in Head and Neck Surgery. These programs were endorsed by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Joint Council on Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. He also completed a fellowship in Burn Surgery at the University of California San Diego Medical Center.

RESIDENCIES:

• Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
• Naval Regional Medical Center
• Portsmouth, VA.
• Division of Plastic Reconstructive and Hand Surgery
• Department of Surgery Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU)
• Portland, OR.

FELLOWSHIPS:

• Facial Plastic Surgery
• Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery
• Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
• Stanford University Medical Center
• Stanford, CA.
• Burn Surgery. Regional Burn Center
• USCD Medical Center, San Diego, CA.

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION:

• BA- Chemistry, Summa Cum Laude
  Catawba College, Salisbury, NC.

MEDICAL EDUCATION:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  Wake Forest University, Bowman-Gray School
  of Medicine Winston, Salem, NC.

POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION:

• Surgical Internship
  Dept of Surgery
  Navel Regional Medical Center
  Portsmouth, VA.

BOARD:

• American Board of Plastic Surgery
• American Board of Otolaryngology
• American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

• San Diego Plastic Surgery Society (Member)
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (Member)
• American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Fellow)
• American College of Surgeons (Fellow)
• American Head and Neck Surgery Society (Fellow)
• American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Fellow)
• California Society of Plastic Surgeons (Member)

PRACTICE EXPERIENCE:

• Chairman:
  Department Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
  U.S. Naval Hospital, Groton, Conn.

• Clinical Instructor:
  Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
  Department of Surgery:
  Stanford University Medical Center
  Stanford, CA.

• Vice Chairman:
  Department Otolaryngology, Head and Neck
  U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, CA.

• Private Practice:
  Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery
  La Jolla, CA.

ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS:

• Clinical Instructor:
  Department Surgery
  Usuhs F. Herbert School of Medicine
  Bethesda, MD

• Clinical Instructor:
  Department Surgery
  Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
  Department of Surgery
  Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford CA.

• Voluntary Assistant Clinical Professor:
  Department Head and Neck Surgery
  Department Plastic Surgery, UCSD Medical Center
  San Diego, CA.

HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS:

• Scripps Hospitals
  Department Plastic Surgery,
  Encinitas, and La Jolla, CA.

• Sharp Hospitals
  San Diego, CA.

• Children's Hospitals
  San Diego, CA.

• Tri-City Medical Center
  Oceanside, CA. Chief of Plastic Surgery

PRESENTATIONS/LETURESHIPS:

• CONCHAL CARTILAGE TECHNIQUE FOR BILATERAL CLEFT LIP, RHINOPLASTY
  **Award: Best resident presentation
  Annual meeting Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons, Kaui, Hawaii

• Modifications in Goldman Tip Rhinoplasty
  Annual meeting, American Academy of Facial
  Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  San Francisco, CA.

• Alar Cartilage Division Techniques in Rhinoplasty

• Spring Meeting. American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  Palm Spring, CA.

• Laser Applications in Facial Plastic Surgery
  World Congress International Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ISPRS)
  Yokohama, Japan

• Tip Rhinoplasty Techniques World Congress of Surgery, Hong Kong

RESEARCH GRANTS:

• Cynosure Laser Corporation Donation
  
• Cynosure Laser to UCSD Regional Burn Center for research study of Post Burn Hypertrophic Scar Prevention and Treatment

PUBLICATIONS:

• Chaffoo, RAK, Bryd; Metastatic SCC Masquerading as a Retropharyngeal Abscess, US Naval Medicine
  
• Chaffoo RAK, and Fee, WE: Re-exploration of the Parotid Wound following Paroidectomy, American Journal of Otolaryngology
  
• Chaffoo, RAK: Alar Cartilage Division Techniques in Rhinoplasty, Proceedings of the International Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery
  
• Chaffoo, RAK and Goode RL: Modifications in the Deltopectoral Flap for Pharyngoesophageal Reconstruction, Laryngoscope.
  
• Chaffoo, RAK: KTP Laser Treatment of Cutaneous Vascular Lesions. Proceedings of the International Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Society.
  
• Chaffoo, RAK and Seyfer AE: The Trapezius Myocutaneous Flap Modifications. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal.
  
• Chaffoo, RAK and Hasen JE: Pediatric Tumors in Plastic Surgery.
  
• Chaffoo, RAK and Ozaki WH: Conchal Cartilage for Cleft Nose Rhinoplasty, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.