“As long as I can remember, I always wanted to become a physician,” says Dr. Arthur.
Growing up in the 1960s, NASA’s space program sparked Dr. Arthur’s interest in all things science. He recalls that he enjoyed learning about chemistry, biology and other sciences throughout elementary and high school.
“I was also influenced by watching the TV series, M*A*S*H, and by a book called “The Making of a Surgeon” by William Nolen, MD,” he says. “When I was a teenager, I decided that medicine was the right career for me.”
Once in medical school, it became apparent that he was best suited to be a surgeon rather than any other specialty—in particular, plastic surgery.
“As a child, my strengths included solving puzzles and drawing,” he says. “Plastic surgery allows me to combine many of my skills and interests and utilize them to take care of and solve problems for patients.”
Over the 30+ years Dr. Arthur has practiced in Lancaster, he has enjoyed doing all aspects of plastic surgery, with cosmetic surgery becoming more of a focus over time.
“With the success of our bariatric surgery team, I have also been able to help weight-loss patients with body contouring issues,” he says.
Most recently, due to increasing interest in the community for gender affirming surgeries, Dr. Arthur has begun working with more transgender individuals to help them with their transition journeys.
“I enjoy meeting and caring for patients, often learning a lot about their lives, jobs and interests in the process,” he says.
Dr. Arthur also finds the technical challenges of the specialty pleasing, and is dedicated to staying at the forefront of the latest advances.
Dr. Arthur believes an important part of the patient experience at his practice is maintaining a sense of continuity with his patients, over time.
“Patients here are seen by their individual physicians for both treatment and follow up care,” he adds.
As a member of the Lancaster General Health team for several decades, Dr. Arthur has watched with pride as the health system has grown, from outpatient facilities like the Suburban Pavilion and the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute to the expansion of the Duke Street location to enhance Emergency Services. He has been honored to serve in various leadership positions, such as chairman of the Department of Surgery and president of the Medical Staff (as of January 1, 2022).
In his spare time, Dr. Arthur enjoys cooking, travel and music. His travel experience has included surgical outreach to developing countries, and he feels fortunate to have participated in mission trips to the Philippines, India, Rwanda and Nepal.
View Dr. Arthur's clinical profile