Find a Top Orthopedic Surgeon Near Me in Mission Viejo, CA – Book an Appointment Instantly

Dr. Kristofer J. Jones is a board certified, fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in sports-related musculoskeletal injuries of the knee, shoulder and elbow. As a former intercollegiate athlete, Dr. Jones understands the unique demands and concerns faced by athletes at all levels of participation (from professional to recreational) and his goal is to return patients back to their regular activities using evidence-based medicine to guide his treatment plan. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, where he was a four-year letter winner and All-Conference tailback for the varsity football team. He was awarded the Howell-Murray Alumni Medal upon graduation. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania where he received the Jonathan Rhoads Prize for Surgical Scholarship. Dr. Jones completed his orthopaedic residency training at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, frequently recognized as the #1 Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery by US News & World Report. He subsequently completed a traveling fellowship and acquired further expertise in shoulder and cartilage surgery at specialized centers across Europe, including Lyon & Paris France. Dr. Jones returned to HSS to complete another fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery. During this time, he served as assistant team physician for the Brooklyn Nets (NBA), New York Red Bulls (MLS), and Iona College Athletics as well as an orthopaedic consultant to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and US Open Tennis Tournament. He is currently the Head Team Physician and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and a Team Physician for the UCLA Bruins athletic teams.

Dr. Jones is accomplished in both clinical and laboratory research and has authored more than 100 scientific manuscripts and textbook chapters that have received national recognition and awards within the field of sports medicine. He is frequently invited to teach and lecture on these topics both nationally and internationally. Dr. Jones is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), a diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has been recognized as an "Emerging Leader" within the field of orthopaedic surgery/sports medicine by the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). He also holds memberships and committee positions in several professional organizations including the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), S.T.O.P (Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention) Sports Injuries Outreach Committee, the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS), Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), the NBA Team Physicians Society, and the NFL Musculoskeletal Injury Committee. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (Am). 

Dr. Jones currently provides care at the UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Westwood on the main hospital campus, as well as the UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Downtown Los Angeles. 

Dr. Rama E. Chandran, MD, is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with more than four decades of distinguished clinical experience in orthopaedic surgery and fracture care. A founding pillar of Chandran Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Chandran has dedicated his career to delivering exceptional musculoskeletal care to patients across the South Bay and greater Los Angeles communities.

Dr. Chandran received his medical degree (M.B.B.S. and M.D.) from the University of Madras in India, one of the subcontinent's most respected medical institutions. He then pursued advanced training in the United States, completing his internship and general surgery residency at New York Medical College, followed by his orthopaedic surgery residency at the prestigious Columbia University in New York. He earned board certification from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1980.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Chandran has been recognized as a physician-leader of the highest order. He served as President of the Medical Staff at Centinela Hospital Medical Center and as Chairman of Orthopaedics at both Centinela Hospital Medical Center and Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center. He also served on the Board of Directors of both institutions, reflecting the profound trust and respect he earned among his peers. Notably, Dr. Chandran served as President of the Society of Orthopedic Surgeons of India in North America (SOSINA), a testament to his standing within the broader orthopaedic community.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Chandran served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Charles R. Drew Medical School from 1983 to 2001, where he mentored and trained the next generation of surgeons. His commitment to advancing the field extends to research and innovation — he holds a United States Patent (No. 6,579,293) for an Intramedullary Rod with Interlocking Oblique Screw for Tibio-calcaneal Arthrodesis, a testament to his inventive contributions to orthopaedic surgical technology. He is also a published author, with work appearing in the Orthopedic Clinics of North America.

Dr. Chandran is affiliated with Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance and previously with Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood. He is a proud member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the California Orthopaedic Association.

With a career spanning over 45 years, Dr. Rama Chandran brings unparalleled experience, innovation, and compassion to every patient he serves — embodying a lifelong commitment to excellence in orthopaedic surgery.

About Us

Carlos Uquillas, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in adult and pediatric sports medicine as well as arthroscopy. He serves patients across Southern California and Los Angeles at his office in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Uquillas received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he had a scholarly concentration in clinical research and received a Leland Stanford Junior University Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award. Dr. Uquillas completed his residency at the prestigious Hospital for Joint Diseases at New York University Langone Medical Center, where he received the Eleanor Kauffman Award for Research in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. He continued his training with a fellowship in sports medicine at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic and a pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital – Los Angeles.

Areas of special interest to Dr. Uquillas include sports medicine, joint preservation, and fracture care. To better serve his patients, Dr. Uquillas is fluent in English and Spanish.

Dr. Uquillas is Assistant Professor at the Cedars Sinai and is a team physician for the Los Angeles Angels. Dr. Uquillas is also the head team physician for the Los Angeles Black Storm. He has been an orthopaedic consultant to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Kings.  Dr. Uquillas was previously the director of Sports Medicine at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Pasadena, CA. 

He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine and the Arthroscopy Associations of North America. He is Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine. 

Dr. Uquillas is active in research and education. He is part of the Kerlan-Jobe Fellowship academic staff as well as the Cedars Sinai Orthopedic residency program core faculty.