Board-Certified General Surgeon Paula Porras Rodriguez, MD, FACS

Clinch Valley Heath announced that Board-Certified General Surgeon Paula Porras Rodriguez, MD, FACS was among initiates from around the world who recently became Fellows of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) at the 2025 convocation ceremony in Chicago, Il, the birthplace of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Porras Rodriguez received a medical doctorate at Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario in Bogota Colombia and completed a residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. She specializes in general surgery, small & large bowel surgery (including cancer), laparoscopic and open hernia repair, dermatological surgery, breast surgery, endoscopy, gallbladder disease, and colonoscopies.

Earning the FACS designation involves a rigorous application process, verification of credentials, review of a surgical case log, recommendations by colleagues, and interviews conducted by a panel of experts. These steps ensure that surgeons meet and uphold the highest standards of surgical care and ethics.

Clinch Valley Health Chief Executive Officer Peter Mulkey said, “"The American College of Surgeons has long championed surgical quality and innovation. Dr. Porras Rodriguez's achievement in earning the FACS credential exemplifies that same spirit of excellence and leadership in advancing patient-centered care. We congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition."

Providing high-quality surgical care for patients has been the focus of the American College of Surgeons since its founding in 1913. From surgical education and research to patient access, hospital standardization and clinical care, the ACS has remained a global leader in advancing the field of surgery.

About the American College of Surgeons:

By meeting the College’s stringent membership requirements, Fellows of the College have earned the distinguished right to use the designation of “FACS” (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after their names.

An applicant for Fellowship must be a graduate of an approved medical school; must have completed advanced training in one of the 14 surgical specialties recognized by the College; must possess certification by an American surgical specialty board or appropriate certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; and must have been in practice for at least one year at the time of his or her application.

Before admission into Fellowship, the surgeon must further demonstrate ethical fitness and professional proficiency, and his or her acceptance as a Fellow of the College must be approved by three-fourths of its Board of Regents.

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient.

The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 82,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

Learn more about the American College of Surgeons.

About Clinch Valley Health:

For more than 85 years, Clinch Valley Health has been an integral part of the lives of people throughout southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia. Our 175-bed acute care hospital offers a range of inpatient and outpatient services including medical and radiation oncology services, specialty care for the heart, lungs and vascular system, cardiac catheterization lab, 24-hour emergency services, physical rehabilitation, sleep studies, skilled nursing, pediatrics & obstetrics, an advanced wound care center, surgical services, advanced gynecologic surgeries and advanced diagnostics. For more information, please visit ClinchValleyHealth.com. 

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