At Metairie Plastic Surgeons, we would like to honor the memory of the late Dr. Gustavo Colon, the founding physician of our practice. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Colon enriched the lives of many in Metairie, New Orleans, and beyond with his talents as a surgeon, painter, medical historian, and community activist. He will be missed by his patients and fellow physicians, and we will continue to uphold his standards of patient-centered care and long-lasting results at Metairie Plastic Surgeons.
Gustavo A. Colón was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico and grew up in New York City. He received a B.A. degree from Johns Hopkins University and an M.D. degree from the University of Maryland and subsequently did residency training in both General Surgery and Plastic Surgery in New Orleans, LA. He was Board Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and was a Clinical Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Tulane University.
He was a member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and past President of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery as well as Director of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Colón was past President of the Louisiana Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, past President of the Medical Staff at East Jefferson General Hospital, founding Chairman of the Board of Doctor’s Hospital in Metairie, and past President of Jefferson Parish Medical Society. Dr. Colón was President of the AAAAPSF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Plastic Surgical Facilities), the largest organization that accredits outpatient surgical facilities in the United States.
He served as a consultant on office surgery to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business and the Subcommittee on Regulation and Business Opportunities. Dr. Colón was elected to the hospital board at East Jefferson General Hospital located in Metairie, LA and was formerly chief of Department of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery at Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Dr. Colón was President of the Hispanic American Medical Association of Louisiana and the New Orleans Catholic Physicians Guild and was active in medical missionary work with Operation Smile and “Christ the Healer” program to Nicaragua.
He was the 1993 recipient of the Community Service Award from the Louisiana State Medical Society and in 1965; he received the Coast Guard Commendation Ribbon for his work during hurricane “Betsy”.
Dr. Colón resided in New Orleans since 1965 and was active in many civic and volunteer organizations locally and nationally.
