Meet the Cosmetic Surgeon

Learn About Dr. Kimmel!

What recent trips have you gone on?

I recently had the privilege to participate in a two-week surgical charitable mission trip to Liberia, West Africa in March 2019 with an organization called HEARTT (Health, Education, Aid and Research through Training). During this trip, I was accompanied by a nurse and team of other surgeons, one of whom was my son, Dr. Robert M. Kimmel, Jr., a senior General Surgery resident at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut. During this mission trip, we were able to provide necessary surgeries to impoverished citizens of Liberia, who lack the resources to otherwise afford access to surgical care, as well as provide teaching and interaction opportunities between HEARTT members and the Liberian medical professionals. Additionally, having the opportunity to work side-by-side and share this experience with my son was extremely rewarding. The lack of resources and meager conditions forced our team to be both flexible and resourceful and definitely made me appreciate the standard of medical care we enjoy in the US.

What is your favorite thing to do outside work?

As a plastic surgeon with a broad scope of practice including cosmetic, reconstructive and hand surgery, the demands on my time and energy can be significant. But I never find this burdensome because of the deep satisfaction that comes from surgically intervening in the lives of others to eliminate suffering, restore function, and even enhance appearance. In order to sustain the focus and concentration necessary in my field, however, I feel it is extremely important to allocate time for regular exercise and recreation. So when I am not working, I typically enjoy tennis, hiking, biking, swimming, golfing, skiing and exercise classes as my primary forms of aerobic conditioning. I also enjoy music, particularly if performed live, and movie viewing. I am an avid Philadelphia sports fan following the Phillies and Flyers, but I am particularly rabid when it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles. I also enjoy watching both live and televised tennis tournaments. But more than any of these avocations, I enjoy being together with my family, whether it is just relaxing at home or joining them in a vacation setting. I consider myself blessed to be able to share in their lives and personal development, which for me, is my ultimate source of satisfaction.

What is your favorite procedure to perform?

One of the aspects in my practice that I truly enjoy is its broad scope, including cosmetic, reconstructive and hand surgery. The clinical variation that results from this breadth of surgery keeps my practice exciting and rewarding. But if I had to identify one particular type of surgery, which is my favorite, I would have to say that it is performing rhinoplasty (nasal reshaping) surgery.

In planning rhinoplasty surgery for any given patient, the performance of an accurate preoperative clinical assessment including history and focused, detailed nasal exam, it is critical in determining the optimal combination of surgical maneuvers to achieve the best outcome. Since no two rhinoplasty patients or surgeries are exactly alike and rhinoplasty is a procedure where millimeter adjustments can make a difference, these surgeries require both focus and concentration. But the ultimate achievement of consistently outstanding results and the associated patient happiness is always a source of great satisfaction.

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