As one of the country’s most widely respected aesthetic and reconstructive surgeons, Dr. Gregory Evans focuses on a full spectrum of plastic surgery of the face, eyes, abdomen, breasts, and body contouring. His techniques are meticulous, and his results are elegant.
As a busy clinician, Dr. Evans continues to develop his leadership skills while maintaining his clinical interests. He has been consistently recognized as one of Orange Coast Magazine’s Physicians of Excellence and received many other honors, including the Castle Connolly Top Doctor, America’s Most Honoured Doctors – Top 1%, America’s Best Plastic Surgeons, and Newsweek America’s Best Plastic Surgeons.
Recognized as a national and international academic leader, Dr. Evans has devoted much of his academic career to improving the surgical residency program at UCI. He has established a fully integrated residency program, developing a practice that consists of microvascular surgery, aesthetic surgery, and cancer reconstruction.
Dr. Evans was also instrumental in assisting with the advancement and initial establishment of the research laboratory at UCI. His early research career focused on tissue engineering, and current focus is on regenerative medicine and utilization of fat and stem cell technology.
About The Practice
Dr. Evans likes doing a variety of operations in a given week, working on every part of the body. He says it allows him to use a combination of innovation and artistry to create beautiful, individualized results. He says there are not a lot of operations he hasn’t done. This breadth of knowledge and observation serves him well whether for reconstruction or general plastic surgery.
Education & Training
- Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology, The University of Southern California
- Doctor of Medicine degree, The University of Southern California School of Medicine
- General Surgery internship, The University of Southern California/Los Angeles County Hospital
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency, The Johns Hopkins Hospital – University of Maryland
- Craniofacial – Microvascular Surgery Fellowship, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Service Systems
Honors and Appointments
- Board certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS)
- Distinguished Professor of Plastic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, The University of California, Irvine
- Founding Chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery, The University of California, Irvine
- Bruce F. Connell Endowed Chair in Plastic Surgery, The University of California, Irvine
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- President of the World Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery
- President of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Faculty and microvascular fellowship program director, The MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Division Chief of the Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery Institute, The University of California, Irvine
- Past Director of the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Past President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
- Past President of the Orange County Society of Plastic Surgeons
Dr. Evans likes performing a variety of operations, working on every part of the body, as it allows him to combine innovation and artistry to create beautiful, individualized results. He believes there are not many operations he hasn’t done, and this breadth of knowledge and observation serves him well in both reconstruction and aesthetic plastic surgery. He is perhaps best known for performing cancer reconstruction procedures, including free tissue transfer for the head, neck, and breast.
Making the Cut: The New Reality for Plastic Surgeons Paperback – April 7, 2022
by Dana R. Fox (Author), Gregory R.D. Evans MD (Author)
Dr. Evans’ Philosophy for Practicing Medicine
Every patient in Dr. Evan’s practice is looking for unique results. During his consultations, he stays open and observant, answering questions and trying to understand his patients’ motivations. In the case of reconstruction after cancer, his goal is always to restore both form and function. While aesthetics are the primary goal, so is a person’s ease of movement and ability to enjoy life.
“It’s my job to try to clear up the myths and make sure each patient is clear about the benefits and risks.”
Dr. Evans says that patients are becoming much more savvy—they know what they want and how they want it done. “It’s a great advantage when someone has done their research because it means they will take responsibility for their own care before and after the procedure.” However, there is also a downside because so much hype and misinformation is readily available. “I prefer an educated patient—one who has done some homework before we meet,” says Dr. Evans. “I recommend what I think is best. I’m open, honest, and really want to partner with my patients.”
Most of Dr. Evans’ patients come from word-of-mouth referrals. He builds a relationship with each patient, and through written questionnaires, notes from referring physicians, and a candid conversation with each patient, he then determines if he can recommend proceeding.
Dr. Evans’ Personal Interests
Although Dr. Evans spends 70-80 hours a week in his practice, he also spends much of his free time with his wife and their two children. He is a runner, mountain biker, and snow skier, and he says he “dabbles in golf.” Traveling extensively for both work and pleasure is important to him because he loves integrating himself into different cultures, learning about international trends that he can apply to his practice, and discovering new ways to solve surgical problems.
Get To Know Dr. Evans
Why did you become a plastic surgeon?
I became a plastic surgeon because my mother had a traumatic injury to her nose when I was 13 that Dr. Libby Wilson, a new plastic surgeon in the area, repaired. I began volunteering with her at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, continuing until I started college. I continued my interest in plastic surgery, and during my General Surgery residency, I formally applied to Plastic Surgery Programs.
“Being a Plastic Surgeon encompasses art and surgical skills – in all, we try to achieve the best overall aesthetic outcome no matter what we are operating on.”
What do you like most about being a plastic surgeon?
Plastic surgery allows me to combine my artistic side with a surgical “to fix” side. Because we operate on all aspects of the body, it also allows me to do something new each day. One day, I am working on the abdomen, the next on the foot, the next on the face, and the next on an extremity. Each day, we are working on a different area of the body to restore that which trauma, cancer, or congenital issues have taken away.
What epiphany did you experience while studying to become a surgeon that led you to choose aesthetic surgery?
I think if one is a good reconstructive surgeon, it makes you a better aesthetic surgeon and vice versa. What we learn in the process of restoring form and function to patients is to look for the most aesthetic outcome possible.
What setbacks or obstacles did you encounter while pursuing your goals?
Despite my years in this profession, every individual is different. I can perform the same operation on ten people and get ten different results. As such, there are still operations that I perform in which the outcome may not be what we expect. Fortunately, because of my extensive training and background, we can deal with any setbacks or obstacles that may occur.
How did your journey to be a plastic surgeon change you internally?
I have become more appreciative of life and the realization that it can be fleeting. I think it has made me more understanding of diversity issues, as well as empathetic towards patients experiencing cancer, trauma, deformities, and severe disease.
Why do patients choose you as their plastic surgeon, and what makes you different and unique?
I am the teacher of teachers and the teacher of future plastic surgeons. It is my job to train future plastic surgeons and ensure that they are competent and have the ability to practice independently. I lecture worldwide on plastic surgery topics, give oral examinations for certification in plastic surgery, and have also participated in the certification of plastic surgeons worldwide.
What advice would you give about being a successful and sought-after plastic surgeon?
- Understand that being a plastic surgeon means a commitment to lifelong learning
- Continue to learn about advancements and evolving surgical techniques
- Be active in research around improving plastic surgery techniques and procedures
- Review your outcomes and adjust accordingly
- Be available for your patients and referring physicians
- Attend conferences on cutting-edge advancements and techniques
What three words best describe you?
Determined, perfectionist, happy.
