Bal Rajagopalan (surgeon)
Bal Rajagopalan, M.D. FRCSC (born May 26, 1970), also known as Dr. Raj, is a double board certified orthopedic surgeon. Specializing in sports medicine and joint replacement, he was named one of America’s top orthopedic surgeons five years in a row, and is an ABC News Medical Consultant.
Early life
The middle of three sons, he was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, on May 26, 1970, where his Indian-ethnic parents had fled from Ethiopia. Intent on being a professional baseball player in high school, he completed his undergraduate chemistry degree at Dalhousie University, Halifax.
He then qualified as a medical doctor in 1995 at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, before undertaking an orthopedic surgery residency also at Memorial University Hospital. In 2000/1 he completed his initial training, undertaking a joint replacement fellowship under Dr. Harlan Amstutz at the Joint Replacement Institute within UCLA.
Career
From 2001 he worked in private practice in Los Angeles, and at the Stanislaus Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Centre in Modesto, California.
Board-certified in the United States and Canada, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, in 2006 he opened the Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute. He performs more than 4,000 orthopedic procedures per annum, and was named one of America’s top orthopedists five years in a row from 2009-2013. In 2012 he achieved Board Certification in Dubai.
Media
Dr. Raj came to public prominence through featuring as a medical and orthopedic expert, including USA Today; ABC’s Good Morning America; CBS’ The Doctor’s; CNN; Fox News; Spike TV's A Thousand Ways to Die; Shape Magazine; and Men’s Health News.
He serves as an ABC News Medical Consultant, a Consultant Editor for WebMD, as well as being a Medical Expert for The Globe and National Enquirer.
Personal life
Married to a UCLA psychiatrist, the couple have a daughter. He has contributed to various community service projects, including the "Hopes and Dreams" charity for kids.
Awards
- Americas top Orthopedists: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 – American Council on Science and Health
- SuperDoctors, Southern California: 2012, 2013, 2014
- Haute MD: 2011, 2012 featured as Top International Doctor
- Newsweek Magazine: 2011 - featured Top Physician in California
- United Airlines Hemispheres magazine: 2010 – Americas Top Doctor
- Fox News: 2010 - Top Doc LA 2010