Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Director, Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Thomas Jefferson Hospital Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Ryan N. Heffelfinger, MD, FACS is a Professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Heffelfinger is Board Certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Heffelfinger received his undergraduate degree from Yale University where he played varsity soccer. He began his medical career at Jefferson Medical College where he received his MD degree and graduated at the top of his class. Dr. Heffelfinger was then chosen for a facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. During his fellowship at UCLA, he honed his skills in the latest techniques in rhinoplasty, cosmetic surgery, and facial reconstruction including microvascular reconstruction of complex facial deformities.
After fellowship, he returned to Jefferson as the Director of Head and Neck Microvascular Surgery and was soon named Director of the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He was the first AAFPRS fellowship director in Philadelphia and has mentored many fellows who have developed prestigious clinical and academic careers. A project he saw through from conception, he is the Director of the Jefferson Facial Nerve Center. As a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, he is very active in teaching the latest advancements and techniques in facial plastic surgery to medical students, residents, and fellows. He has published hundreds of papers, delivered countless talks at national meetings, and is highly regarded as an expert in his field. Dr. Heffelfinger has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and a Philly Top Doc yearly since 2017.