Dr. Tom Chang, MD, is a Yuma-based, board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with additional board certification in general surgery. Practicing with Onvida Health Medical Group, he provides personalized surgical care for patients seeking restoration of appearance, physical function, comfort, and confidence following cancer treatment, injury, congenital conditions, difficult wound healing, or major weight loss. His clinical profile combines advanced reconstructive training, experience across several areas of surgery, published scientific research, and a patient-centered approach to treatment planning. Dr. Chang’s practice is based at Onvida Health Surgery Suite 201 and Onvida Health Yuma Medical Center, making specialized plastic and reconstructive surgery more accessible to patients throughout Yuma and southwestern Arizona.
Dr. Chang earned his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California. He subsequently completed a general surgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, developing a broad foundation in operative care, anatomy, trauma management, wound healing, and perioperative safety. He then completed dedicated plastic surgery residency training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, one of the country’s most respected academic medical centers. To further refine his expertise, Dr. Chang pursued fellowship training in pediatric and craniofacial plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. This combination of medical education, general surgery training, plastic surgery residency, and subspecialty fellowship training supports his ability to evaluate complex conditions involving both appearance and function.
His academic background also includes research experience at the National Eye Institute within the National Institutes of Health, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the National Cancer Institute. His research work has involved connective-tissue biology, collagen matrices, human dermal fibroblasts, retinal proteins, gene analysis, cellular behavior, and cancer-related laboratory investigation. Dr. Chang has contributed to published scientific work and research presentations, including studies appearing in Annals of Biomedical Engineering and Gene. This scientific experience complements his clinical training by providing a deeper understanding of tissue structure, biological healing, scar formation, and the principles underlying reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Chang’s clinical practice encompasses plastic, reconstructive, and selected body-contouring procedures. His publicly listed areas of expertise include breast reduction and breast-lift surgery, while the Onvida Health plastic surgery program also provides breast reconstruction following cancer treatment. Additional areas of care include the removal and reconstruction of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma treatment of moles, cysts, and soft-tissue masses skin grafting for open or difficult-to-heal wounds scar and keloid treatment hidradenitis suppurativa care panniculectomy following major weight loss liposuction for selected areas of lipodystrophy and repair of complex lacerations, animal bites, traumatic injuries, and soft-tissue defects. His pediatric and craniofacial fellowship training also strengthens his understanding of facial development, congenital differences, tissue reconstruction, proportion, and surgical planning.
A defining strength of Dr. Chang’s background is the integration of plastic surgery and general surgery. Reconstructive procedures often require attention not only to visible appearance but also to circulation, tissue viability, wound closure, mobility, comfort, and long-term healing. His dual board certification and multidisciplinary training allow treatment decisions to be developed around the patient’s medical condition, functional needs, anatomy, and personal priorities. At Onvida Health, patients receive individualized guidance about appropriate options, realistic outcomes, recovery considerations, possible risks, and whether surgical or nonsurgical management is most suitable. This careful approach is particularly valuable for patients recovering from cancer surgery, traumatic injury, chronic wounds, extensive weight loss, or conditions affecting everyday comfort and movement.
Services associated with Dr. Chang and Onvida Health’s plastic and reconstructive surgery program include breast reconstruction after cancer, breast reduction, breast lift, skin-cancer removal, mole and cyst removal, excision of soft-tissue masses, skin grafting, complex wound closure, scar revision, keloid treatment, hidradenitis suppurativa surgery, panniculectomy, liposuction for lipodystrophy, repair of complex cuts and animal bites, and soft-tissue reconstruction following injury. His Yuma practice offers a local option for patients from Yuma, Fortuna Foothills, Somerton, San Luis, Wellton, and surrounding southwestern Arizona communities who may otherwise need to travel considerable distances for specialized reconstructive care.
📍 Location: Onvida Health Surgery Suite 201, 2270 Ridgeview Drive, Suite 201, Yuma, Arizona 85364, USA. Dr. Chang also practices through Onvida Health Yuma Medical Center, 2400 South Avenue A, Yuma, Arizona 85364.
