Gregory Hamid Rafijah

Dr. Gregory Hamid Rafijah is a Professor of Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine, where he serves as Chief of Hand Surgery and Program Director of the Hand Surgery Fellowship. He has held numerous leadership roles, including Director of the Microvascular Training Laboratory, Resident Educational Curriculum, and Continuing Medical Education activities in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. His prior appointments include Associate Clinical Professor at UCI and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and Chief of Hand Surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Dr. Rafijah specializes in the surgical treatment of conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and elbow, with research interests in distal radius fractures, peripheral nerve repair, wrist biomechanics, tendon transfers, and reconstructive surgery. His work integrates clinical innovation with educational leadership, and he has contributed extensively to medical literature through peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and national presentations. His research spans orthopedic trauma, imaging, and outcomes assessment, with a strong emphasis on improving surgical techniques and patient recovery.

His recent publications highlight trends in emergency hand surgery during pandemics, advanced imaging of wrist ligaments, biomechanical analysis of carpal fusions, and outcomes of digital data collection in orthopedics. These works reflect a consistent focus on clinical excellence, technological integration, and evidence-based practice in upper extremity care.

• Super Doctor (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018-2019)
• Kevin Armstrong Clinical Faculty Teaching Award (2018, 2015, 2010)
• Linscheid-Dobyns Excellence in Wrist Surgery Award (2015)
• AAHS Outstanding Paper of Annual Meeting (2012)
• American Association of Hand Surgery Research Grant (2010)
• Paul Johnson Teaching Award (2008, 2004)
• Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Society (1990)

Dr. Rafijah has mentored trainees including PhD candidate Ryan Quigley, whose research focused on wrist kinematics and scapholunate instability. He has led major educational initiatives such as the Perioperative Surgical Home Project and served on national committees for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), including the Clinical Trials and Outcomes Committee and Resident Education Committee. He is also a journal reviewer for the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, Journal of Hand Surgery, and Hand.

He is actively involved in professional societies including the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and International Bone Research Society (IBRA). He frequently chairs and presents at national and international symposia on hand and wrist trauma, nerve injuries, and surgical techniques.