Dr. Restrepo is an expert plastic surgeon specializing in several facets of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. She is the author of several professional publications and is committed to offering the highest standards of surgical care. She practices the most up-to-date evidence based surgical techniques while maintaining a strong belief that patient care reaches beyond the operating room. She is motivated by a desire to bring joy and greater self-esteem to her patients, as well as improving their form and function.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS
Dr. Restrepo is Board Certified by the Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery. She specializes in aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, and body and pediatric plastic surgery.
A native of Colombia, she received her medical doctorate from the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, a program famous for its intense hands-on training. She finished second in her class, and was a finalist for Colegial, the highest possible distinction awarded by the University.
After medical school Dr. Restrepo moved to Chile, where she worked as a general practitioner in Valdivia and Viña del Mar. She was immensely fulfilled by her work abroad, and realized her passion for providing care to patients from all over of the world.
Following her time in Chile, Dr. Restrepo was one of only 25 students in the entire country accepted into the highly competitive and incredibly prestigious Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery program at Clinica San Rafael in Bogotá. In a country known around the world as a leader in aesthetic surgery, her cosmetic training was intensive, including significant training at San Rafael Clinic, one of the busiest reconstructive and aesthetic centers in Colombia. Here she became the Chief Resident in Plastic Surgery and was elected as the President of the Colombia Plastic Surgery Residents Association, 2008 – 2010. During this period she planned, developed, and executed training courses and conferences for the residents around the country.
She received extensive training in all aspects of plastic surgery, which was complemented by rotations at renowned institutions including Clínica Shaio, Clínica la Carolina, Clínica Sabamec, and Clínica los Alpes in Bogotá, and at the Clínica Fundadores in Armenia. She holds current American Heart Association certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Adult Life Support, and Basic Life Support.
Volunteer work is at the heart of Dr. Restrepo’s philosophy, and is an integral part of her approach to personal and individualized patient care. In 2009 she received the sought after Stryker Fellowship which enabled her to participate in missions around the world providing free reconstructive surgery to underprivileged children and adults with cleft lips, cleft palates, and disfiguring burns and hand deformities. Inspired by her global health work, Dr. Restrepo elected to delay starting a full time practice, in order to accept a year long fellowship in Pediatric Plastic Surgery with Operation Smile where she gained extensive experience performing hundreds of reconstructive procedures on pediatric patients.
Dr. Restrepo remains an active member of Operation Smile and has volunteered as a plastic surgeon, team leader, and field medical director on more than 20 international missions. She served as the Associate Medical Director, Chief of Surgery, and Co-Director of Research and Outcomes at the Guwahati Comprehensive Cleft Care in Assam, India. This free surgical hospital has completed more than 10,000 operations in its first four years of operations, establishing a new paradigm of surgical care in the developing world. Under her leadership, the facility earned international esteem and recognition, resulting in formal partnerships with some of the most famous institutions in the world in pediatric plastic surgery. Her contributions to global health continue both practically and academically. Recently, she published work regarding global surgical care in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, and she continues to present her work at numerous major national and international meetings.
Following their work in India, Dr. Restrepo and Dr. Campbell moved to Cartagena to open Premium Care Plastic Surgery creating a new standard for plastic surgery in the region. Their partnership combines experience and expertise from three continents to provide the very best in plastic and reconstructive surgery to residents of Colombia, and to their patients who come to Cartagena from the United States, Europe, and Latin America. The practice provides excellence in aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, body, and skin and provides reconstructive surgery to children and adults. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Restrepo also continue their shared passion for charitable involvement for children and serve on the Medical Oversight Board of Operation Smile International, and as Medical Advisers to Operation Smile.