Raj Vyas

Raj Vyas, MD, is a Professor of Plastic Surgery and Neurosurgery at UC Irvine School of Medicine. He serves as Vice-Chairman of UCI’s Department of Plastic Surgery, Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery at CHOC Children’s Hospital, and Director of the UCI/CHOC Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship. His clinical expertise spans congenital, traumatic, and oncologic facial reconstruction, adult aesthetic surgery, and innovative uses of AI/augmented reality for remote surgical guidance.

• Education: BS with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University, Medical Degree from UCLA
• Training: Plastic Surgery Residency at Harvard Medical School, Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship at NYU Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

His research focuses on expanding global capacity for reconstructive surgery through grant-funded initiatives with organizations like SHARE and Global Smile Foundation. He has authored over 100 publications, co-directed the textbook Interdisciplinary Cleft Care: Global Perspectives, and leads multidisciplinary teams at UC Irvine and CHOC Children’s Hospital. Vyas holds leadership roles in national and international plastic surgery societies, chairs professional committees, and organizes global cleft care workshops.

Scientific awards include the

• President’s Award (Stanford),
• Longmire Medal (UCLA top medical student),
• Stafford Medal (UCLA top surgery student).

Vyas’s clinical and academic work integrates virtual surgical planning, 3D modeling, and lifelong patient relationships to improve outcomes in cleft/craniofacial surgery, facial movement disorders, and global surgical education.