Mel Thomas Ortega, M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Dr. Gimel Ortega and Claire Betters Ortega, it was evident early on in Dr. Ortega’s life that he would be drawn to the arts in one form or another. Dr. Ortega Sr. moved his family to Miami when Mel Thomas was only three months old. His father who was one of the first Spanish speaking pediatricians in Miami and subsequently went on to have a successful 30 year practice, encouraged Mel Thomas to follow in his footsteps. His mother, Claire Ortega, embraced his young bohemian spirit and fostered his love of the arts which included painting, sculpting, and trumpet playing, much to the neighbors’ horror.

Dr. Ortega attended Immaculate-LaSalle High School in Miami and continued on to Miami-Dade Community College and Florida State University in Tallahassee. It was then that he decided to continue his education in Mexico, his father’s birthplace. He was accepted into LaSalle University Mexican Medical College in Mexico City in 1975. He received the honor of graduating twenty-fifth in his class of one hundred and twenty six and received his M.D. degree in July of 1980.

Upon returning to the United States, Dr. Ortega completed his internship at Variety Children’s Hospital (Miami Children’s) in 1982. During his internship he discovered his affinity and skill at surgery which lead him to embark upon a General Surgery Residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in Bronx, New York. It was then that his talents as a surgeon flourished amidst the chaotic backdrop of urban strife. He further honed his surgical skills in the Emergency Room, carefully and painstakingly attending to severely injured, critically wounded and acutely ill patients. Dr. Ortega’s General Surgery Residency afforded him the opportunity to provide excellent healthcare in the face of adversity and develop a level of maturity and humility that would later help distinguish him in the field of Plastic Surgery.

In 1987, after completing the program as Chief Resident, Dr. Ortega was awarded the only Double-Honors upon his completion of the Simulated Oral Exam for the Surgery Boards, presided over by the attending faculty of the New York Medical College Surgery Program at Valhalla, New York.

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In July of 1987, Dr. Ortega was accepted into the prestigious program of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Medical Branch of the University of Texas in Galveston, Texas. He completed this three year residency under the tutelage of Martin C. Robson, M.D., a well-respected plastic surgeon who himself has been the Chairman of several sought after Plastic Surgery Programs. It was with Dr. Robson’s guidance that Dr. Ortega further developed his surgical approach when trying to grapple with complex conditions, infirmities and injuries requiring Plastic and Reconstructive Techniques.

Upon completion of his General Surgery Residency, Dr. Ortega once again packed his bags and set up shop in Findlay, Ohio, where he had the distinction of being that city’s first Plastic Surgeon. With a population of approximately 100,000, he built a thriving practice where he had to opportunity to successfully perform several microsurgical reattachments of amputated fingers, free microsurgical tissue transfers for reconstruction of limbs, as well as a myriad of Plastic Surgery procedures. Dr. Ortega was also instrumental in establishing the protocols for ambulatory surgical procedures in the newly established outpatient center of Blanchard Valley Hospital.

Although quite successful, Dr. Ortega felt the desire to return to his childhood stomping grounds, (Miami), where he happily resides with his wife and three children to this day. From 1993 until 1997, Dr. Ortega was an associate of Jorge Hidalgo, M.D. and Juvencia Plastic Surgery Center. It was then that he decided to set up his own practice in Miami.

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Dr. Ortega’s practice is currently conveniently located at 8740 North Kendall Drive (SW 88th St.), Miami, Florida, in the Lennar Center Medical Buildings, just minutes away from Baptist Hospital. His Certified Office Surgical Suite is fully equipped and maintained for the ultimate in safety and patient comfort. His facility is State Certified for Level 2 and 3 Anesthesia.

Dr. Ortega is currently on staff at 3 area hospitals (Baptist, Doctor’s, and South Miami) and is an active member of the following professional associations and societies:

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon
• Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Florida Medical Association
• New York Medical College Surgical Society
• Dade County Medical Association
• Miami Society of Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Ortega is licensed in the State of Florida and holds inactive licenses in the States of New York and Ohio. He is also Board Certified in both General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Aside from having published several articles in peer-reviewed medical journals, he has also been on many nationally and internationally televised talked shows, news segments, as well as various radio interviews.

Dr. Ortega is effervescent in his enthusiasm for researching the latest technologies and medical advances in order to provide his patients with the highest possible standards of excellence in healthcare. The level of artistry and genuine caring with which he and his staff approach each and every patient is part of a long-standing commitment and a testament to his true calling as a physician.

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Copyright 2004 Mel Thomas Ortega, MD, FACS