Randolph L. Schaffer, MD, FACS, a Transplant, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgeon with Scripps Green Hospital & Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
Get to know Transplant, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgeon Dr. Randolph L. Schaffer, who serves patients in California.
Dr. Schaffer is an expert in liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation surgery, including living donor organ transplantation and advanced laparoscopic surgery. He also provides surgical treatment for complex liver, gallbladder, bile duct, pancreas, and retroperitoneal diseases, including cancers.
A member of the Scripps Green Hospital medical staff since 2003, Dr. Schaffer recently served as the Chief of Staff at Scripps Green Hospital from 2021 through 2023 and is the current Chair of the Scripps Green Hospital Department of Surgery. He is also an attending at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and a volunteer medical staff at the Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Balboa Hospital.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Schaffer has conducted research on primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and on the role of circulating tumor cells and biomarkers in determining candidacy for surgery, transplant and other treatment interventions, as well as predicting response to those treatments. He is also an invited reviewer for numerous medical journals in the field of transplantation.
Dr. Schaffer believes in taking the time necessary to clearly communicate with patients in a way that makes complex situations and decisions more manageable. He also believes that being a good surgeon requires both technical skills and compassionate care.
An avid educator, he enjoys the opportunity to work with surgical residents, teaching them about the transplant service and educating medical residents on ethics. He is the former Co-Chairman of the Scripps Green Hospital Ethics Committee and served as a member of the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network (OPTN) Ethics Committee. He also served for eight years on the OPTN Living Donor Committee, an experience highlighted by his time as the Committee Chair.
A 1995 graduate of Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Schaffer went on to complete his residency in General Surgery at the said establishment in 2001. He then completed a fellowship in Transplantation Surgery at the University of Chicago Hospitals & Clinics in 2003.
Passionate about his profession, the doctor is board-certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABS is an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge.
On a professional level, Dr. Schaffer is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and a member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the American Society of Transplantation, the International Liver Transplantation Society, and the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.
Transplant surgery refers to surgical procedures in which tissue or an organ is transferred from one person (the donor) to another person (the recipient). A transplant surgeon is a surgeon who performs organ transplants, while hepatobiliary and pancreas surgeons work with other specialists involved in each person’s care to diagnose and provide timely surgical intervention for complex conditions.
When he is not caring for patients, Dr. Schaffer enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, surfing, snowboarding, and hiking with the family dog. He is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Learn More about Dr. Randolph L. Schaffer:
Through his findatopdoc profile, https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/1156707-Randolph-Schaffer-transplant-surgeon-La-Jolla-CA-92037 or through Scripps Health, https://www.scripps.org/physicians/5230-randolph-schaffer
About FindaTopDoc.com
FindaTopDoc is a digital health information company that helps connect patients with local physicians and specialists who accept your insurance. Our goal is to help guide you on your journey towards optimal health by providing you with the know-how to make informed decisions for you and your family.
