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About Nicole Lopez, MD

Nicole Lopez, MD, is board certified in general surgery, complex general surgical oncology, colon and rectal surgery and clinical informatics.

She is particularly interested in caring for patients with hereditary, advanced, recurrent, and metastatic colorectal cancers. She is skilled in laparoscopy and robotic surgery.

Locally, Dr. Lopez is the director of the UC San Diego National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). In this facility, she is dedicated to ensuring superb quality of care for all patients receiving treatment for rectal cancer at UC San Diego.

Nationally, Dr. Lopez sits the American College of Surgeons Cancer Surgery Standards Program Committee which is committed to ensuring excellent quality of surgery for patients undergoing cancer surgery. She is also on the Colorectal Disease Site Working Group for the Society of Surgical Oncology.

She has been recognized for her exceptional clinical care in Castle Connelly's "Exceptional Women in Medicine" in 2020 and as one of San Diego's "Top Doctors" in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Dr. Lopez's research focuses on ways to improve surgical care and systems of care using big data and health information technology. She is committed to ensuring patients with rectal cancer have the best quality of life possible after treatment for rectal cancer and has published on 'watch and wait'/'non-operative management' for patients with rectal cancer. Her work in colon rectal surgery has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals, including Annals of Surgical Oncology, Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, American Journal of Surgery, Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery, and Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis.

Dr. Lopez believes education and training of students and residents is imperative to sustaining a workforce of talented and compassionate physicians and surgeons. As such, she is the director of several medical student courses and serves as a mentor to many students. The American Medical Association recognized her nationally for her mentorship, presenting her with an Inspiration Award.

When she's not working, Dr. Lopez enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing catch with her labradoodle, making and decorating cookies, and listening to audiobooks.

UC San Diego Health Links
For more information, see Colorectal Cancer and Surgical Services.

Insurance Information
UC San Diego Health accepts most major health insurance plans, but you should verify that your plan covers this provider and all services and locations. The information in the link below does not apply to affiliate providers, who are not employed by UC San Diego Health.
Health Insurance Plans Accepted
Open Payments Program Notification
For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.
View Open Payments data for Dr. Lopez

Medical Degree

  • University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN

Residency

  • UC San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, CA

Fellowship

  • University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC

Fellowship

  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

Fellowship

  • UC San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, CA

Master's Degree

  • UC San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, CA

Gender

  • Female

Date Joined Staff

  • 2017-08-14

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery
  • General Surgery
  • Complex General Surgical Oncology
  • Clinical Informatics

Conditions and Treatments

  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Colorectal Cancer - Advanced and Recurrent Disease
  • Hereditary Colon and Rectal Cancers
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Laparoscopy
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  • Pelvic Floor Disorders
  • Anorectal Disease
  • Diverticulitis
Insurance Information
UC San Diego Health accepts most major health insurance plans, but you should verify that your plan covers this provider and all services and locations. The information in the link below does not apply to affiliate providers, who are not employed by UC San Diego Health.
Health Insurance Plans Accepted
Open Payments Program Notification
For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.
View Open Payments data for Dr. Lopez
  • Gastroenterology
  • Cancer

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