Gastroenterologist Donald Portocarrero now a two-time Castle Connolly Top Doctor

    ARCADIA, CA, October 01, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Donald J. Portocarrero, DO, has been recognized as a 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, the second time he has received the prestigious Top Doctor honor. Only about 7 percent of the nation's licensed physicians are selected annually as Castle Connolly Top Doctors in their regions for their specialties.

Dr. Portocarrero is a gastroenterologist and the president and CEO of Gastrointestinal & Non-Surgical Weight Loss Solutions, the practice he founded in 2021. Prior to that, he was with Gastroenterology Medical of Los Angeles for five years.

A specialist in bariatric medicine (weight-loss medicine) and the treatment of obesity, Dr. Portocarrero is known as one of the top doctors in the United States for performing non-surgical weight-loss procedures. Those include endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) and intragastric balloon procedures.

Dr. Portocarrero is also skilled at performing minimally invasive gastrointestinal procedures such as bariatric endoscopy, endoscopic mucosal resection, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a specialized type of endoscopy used to evaluate and treat the pancreatic and biliary ducts.

He also offers wellness and medical bariatric treatments that include intravenous vitamin therapy, weight-loss injections, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), semaglutide, and tirzepatide.

Dr. Portocarrero is a Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology.

He is certified by both the American Board of Internal Medicine — with subspecialty certification in gastroenterology — and the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

"As an interventional gastroenterologist, I manage some of the most challenging cases in the area with the highest standards of clinical care," Dr. Portocarerro says.

"Better weight loss outcomes mean patients can achieve the best results without the need for surgery. Our results show a 50-65 percent excess body weight loss in the first year and each year after."

In addition to his clinical activities, Dr. Portocarrero serves as an assistant professor of internal medicine at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, as well as an assistant professor of medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

Dr. Portocarrero earned his medical degree at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Northwest. He completed a three-year internal medicine residency at Adventist Health White Memorial in Los Angeles, as well as three years of fellowship training in gastroenterology and hepatology at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

He also holds both a bachelor's degree in psychobiology and a post-baccalaureate certificate in pre-medical studies from UCLA.

Dr. Portocarrero speaks English and Spanish.

Top Doctors are nominated by peer physicians and selected by the physician-led Castle Connolly research team.

"It is an honor to be selected by Castle Connolly as a Top Doctor year after year," Dr. Portocarrrero says. "This award is not just a testament to our quality work, but also a testament to the dignity and respect of our patients. The best reward is a healthy community."

About Castle Connolly
Castle Connolly publishes its Top Doctors list at castleconnolly.com and in a variety of print and online partner publications. Nominations are open to all board-certified MDs, DOs, and DPMs. The Castle Connolly team chooses honorees based on nominee criteria that includes their medical education, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary histories.

Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor.

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