Welcome to the cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery practice of Dr. Ernesto J. Ruas, MD. We invite you to learn more about the options available to you through our practice. Explore our website and please contact Dr. Ruas if you have any questions.

About Dr. Ruas

Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Ernesto J. Ruas spent his early childhood in Cuba, where both his father and mother practiced medicine. Trained in the US, his father, a general surgeon, and his mother, an anesthesiologist, would often take young Ernesto along during house calls. He vividly remembers his parents caring for the ill, and recalls being captivated by their discussions of medical topics at the dinner table. In the 1960s, the family immigrated to the US and eventually settled in Orlando. There, Ernesto attended high school and graduated valedictorian of his class. He continued his studies at Emory University in Atlanta, where he received a B.A. in chemistry, Summa Cum Laude. It was at Emory that he also met his future wife, Betsy.

 
Inspired by his parents’ love of medicine, Ernesto decided to attend The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. During the next ten years, he completed his degree and remained at Hopkins for his general surgery and plastic surgery training under the tutelage of Dr. Jack Hoopes and Dr. Paul Manson. Intrigued by facial surgery, Dr. Ruas traveled to Mexico City, Mexico to complete a fellowship in craniofacial surgery under the direction of Fernando Ortiz-Monasterio, M.D., a world-renowned pioneer in craniofacial surgery and aesthetic surgery of the facial skeleton.
 
In 1987, Dr. Ruas returned to the US and joined the faculty at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. There he was named director of the Craniofacial Center and participated in patient care at the Breast Reconstruction Clinic at the Moffitt Cancer Center.

Over the last 17 years, Dr. Ruas has earned a reputation for being a gifted and meticulous surgeon who enjoys his craft and the potential for positive quality-of-life changes it can bring. He has been selected by his peers as a “Best Doctor in America,” and was named one of the Best Bay Area Doctors by Tampa Bay Metro magazine. In 2001, the Tampa Bay Latin American Medical Society named Dr. Ruas “Doctor of the Year” in recognition of his vast volunteer work. He continues to conduct numerous volunteer medical missions overseas to treat children with cleft lip, cleft palate and other congenital deformities. He also brings children with complex craniofacial anomalies to the US to receive free reconstructive surgery and a second chance at improving their lives.

Today, Dr. Ruas lives in Tampa with his wife, Betsy, and their three children. He holds active staff memberships at three Tampa facilities, including St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Tampa General Hospital. He also maintains privileges at All Children’s Hospital and Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.
Dr. Ruas is board certified by the American Board of plastic Surgeons. He is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society For Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the International Society of Craniofacial Surgery, as well as several national, state and local medical organizations. He often lectures nationally and abroad, and participates in the Plastic Surgery Residency Training Program at the University of South Florida, teaching young plastic surgeons.

Dr. Ruas' practice is a blend of state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery for adults and complex reconstructive surgery for children. He enjoys the close relationships he shares with his patients, and continues to remain excited about the life-changing transformation that plastic surgery can bring to his patients, young and old.

Some of Dr. Ruas' additional society memberships include:

American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons
Florida Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
Florida Medical Association
Hillsborough County Medical Association
Tampa Bay Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons
Tampa Bay Latin American Medical Society




BOARD CERTIFICATION

American Board of Plastic Surgery



PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Undergraduate degree: Emory University

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Internship: Johns Hopkins Hospital

Surgical Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital

Plastic Surgery Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital

Post-residency training: Fernando Ortiz-Monasterio , MD, Mexico City, Mexico



TEACHING APPOINTMENTS

Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery & Pediatrics, University of South Florida College of Medicine