Meet La Jolla Plastic Surgeon

James Casimir Pietraszek, M.D.

 James Casimir Pietraszek M.D., F.A.C.S.

I have always planned on being a doctor, as I came from a medical family where my father was a physician and my mother a nurse. Growing up in that environment showed me how much joy and satisfaction one could get out of serving others as a doctor. I was also provided with a wonderful role model in my dad as to how to treat a patient with care and respect. I followed my dad to the same medical school he attended, the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, where I grew up.

During medical school I realized I wanted to be a surgeon. Working with my hands to heal patients felt most natural to me. After medical school I went to New York City where I spent the next five years in a general surgery residency at New York University/Bellevue Medical Center in Manhattan.  There I was fully trained in the art and science of surgery, learning judgment and getting experience in treating the surgical patient.

During my general surgery training I was exposed to plastic and reconstructive surgery. The combination of surgery and aesthetics was most appealing to me personally. I therefore decided to pursue further training in plastic surgery in Dallas, Texas in the University of Texas/Southwestern Medical School/Parkland Memorial Hospital Program, a widely recognized and highly esteemed teaching program in plastic surgery. There I trained with and learned from many of the leaders in the field of plastic surgery. Their expertise and skill are with me to this day.

From Dallas I moved to San Diego where I have been in private practice ever since.  Over the years my practice has evolved into an exclusively aesthetic or cosmetic practice, meaning I do elective surgeries designed to make one look better. It gives me great satisfaction to know that when I improve a patients appearance, I enhance their self image and their self esteem, which will allow them to more fully realize their true potential.

On the personal side, I have been very happily married to my beautiful wife Sandy for 25 wonderful years and enjoy exercise, skiing, music, reading and traveling.

                                                                           CURRICULUM VITAE

DATE OF BIRTH:               April 6, 1949

PLACE OF BIRTH:             Buffalo, New York

                                             1966 - 1970 Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

                                              B.S. in Biology

                                             1970 - 1974 Medical School

                                              State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine

                                             1974 - 1979 Residency in General Surgery

                                              New York University - Bellevue Medical Center

                                              New York, New York

                                              1980 - 1982 Residency in Plastic Surgery

                                              University of Texas

                                              Southwestern Medical School - Parkland Memorial Hospital

                                              Dallas, Texas

FELLOWSHIPS:

                                              1978 - 1979 Clinical Fellow, American Cancer Society Tumor Service

                                              Bellevue Hospital

                                              New York

TEACHING APPOINTMENTS:

                                               1976 - 1979 Clinical Instructor, Department of Surgery,

                                               New York University, School of Medicine

BOARD CERTIFICATION:     
                                               1981 American Board of Surgery

                                               1985 American Board of Plastic Surgery

STATE LICENSES:                 California (Inactive: New York & Colorado)

MEMBERSHIPS:                   ASAPS American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery