Dr. James Chen is an orthopedic surgeon and hip and knee replacement specialist at DISC who was inspired to go into orthopedic surgery after playing football as a Division One athlete in college. Learn more about Dr. Chen, including his specialties, treatment philosophies and hobbies below:
Video: Meet Dr. James Chen
Dr. Chen graduated cum laude from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obsipo with his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology before moving on to UCLA, where he completed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery. He then completed his arthroplasty surgical fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, where he gained recognition with numerous clinical excellence awards for his surgical skills.
Dr. Chen, an Orange County native who grew up in Irvine, California, specializes in hip and knee total joint replacement. He was drawn to the medical field after seeing his uncle work as a primary care physician for an underserved community. Then, after suffering from an ACL injury from playing football in college, he was introduced to the field of orthopedic surgery. From there, he realized he had found his calling.
“I started to realize that not only did I want to do surgery, but I wanted to specialize in hip and knee replacement surgery because I wanted to remain athletic and active my whole life, and I wanted to keep my patients as athletic and active as long as possible, too,” he said.
As a hip and knee replacement specialist, Dr. Chen does minimally invasive surgeries, as well as larger, more complex versions of the procedures. He also uses navigated and robotic technology and advanced perioperative monitoring technologies that help patients recover quicker and stay active for as long as possible.
Some of the most common conditions that bring patients to Dr. Chen include osteoarthritis, or wear-and-tear of the joints, autoimmune conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, post traumatic conditions, congenital conditions, or genetic causes that lead to end stage arthritis. So if you're having pain in your hip or knee while walking or during daily activities, Dr. Chen said that's typically a sign that it would be a good time to come in to get evaluated.
Dr. Chen likes to take a personalized, holistic approach to patient care, assessing the patient from the beginning to figure out what got them to this point and what they want to get out of treatment. The goals for treatment will change drastically depending on who the patient is, he said.
“Are you looking to just walk around our community, be an active member of society, or are you looking to go back skiing 70 times this next season?” he said. “What's unique about my approach is that I try to bring in a lot of different technologies, talk to you about the process, individualize the treatment plan and coach patients through the entire process, not just the procedure itself.”
When choosing a hip and knee replacement surgeon, Dr. Chen said developing a rapport is important — do you know and trust your surgeon, and are they investing the time to get to know you and your goals? Another important aspect is how experienced the surgeon is, and whether they have dedicated a career to excellence in the particular procedure. For example, robotic-assisted surgery can be tricky, but they’re also great tools for customizing the procedure to the patient. 
Using the new technology, Dr. Chen can map out a patient’s knee, measure the tension of their ligaments, and make fine adjustments to the components in order to execute a precise plan with the implants for a personalized approach.
For Dr. Chen, the most rewarding part of being an orthopedic surgeon is being able to help people on a daily basis, and see his patients achieve their goals and get back to living their lifestyles.
“I really enjoy meeting my patients, getting to know them and taking care of them. I’m blessed that I get to do what I love to do and I look forward to a long career doing just that,” he said.
In his free time, Dr. Chen likes to practice what he preaches and stays active with his family. Whether it’s hiking, surfing in San Clemente, or attending community events, his family likes to spend time outdoors a majority of the time.
Dr. Chen, a new addition to DISC, said what impressed him the most was DISC’s high level of patient care and excellent track record.
“What brought me to DISC is the high level of care that they have already been providing patients and that I want for my patients as well. DISC has an excellent track record and amazing staff who provide a very high quality of care, so it was a natural partnership.”
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Chen today.
