Professor Charoen Chotigavanich was born on 9 April 1936 in Chumpon Province, Thailand. He entered the Faculty of Medicine of Mahidol University and was awarded a MD degree in 1962. After his graduation, he completed an internship from 1962 to 1963 at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital of Mahidol University and a surgical residency at the same hospital the following year.
Three years later, he joined the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, in Pittsburgh, U.S.A until 1968. Then he went on pursuing an orthopedic residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo, New York, until 1972. He completed an orthopedic fellowship in the following year at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornel University, New York.
In 1975, he returned to the Faculty of Medicine of Siriraj Hospital, Department of Orthopedic Surgery. In 1981, he was promoted to Associate Professor, and three years later, he was again promoted to Professor in the Orthopedic Department. In 1996, Mahidol University awarded him the honor of Professor Emeritus.
Professor Charoen has been an active member in various national and international associations and societies such as the American College of Surgeons, the Scoliosis Research Society, the Royal College of Surgeon of Thailand, the Royal College of Orthopedic Surgeon of Thailand, Asia Pacific Orthopedic Association, Asia Pacific Spine Society, Spine Society of Thailand, Thai Scoliosis Society, and Minimally Invasive Spine Society of Thailand, to name a few. He had steered the leadership of the Thai Orthopedic Association under The Royale College of Orthopedic Surgeons of Thailand (1995-1997), Spine Society of Thailand (1999-2009), Asia Pacific Spine Society (1999-2002), Asia Pacific Orthopedic Association (2012-2014), and Thai Scoliosis Society (2016-present).
Professor Charoen designed a pillow for patients with neck pain due to cervical spondylotic radiculopathy which received an Award from the Medical Council of Thailand. He also designed a special type of pedicle screw for spinal instrumentation.
These achievements led him to be awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Doctor Award 2018” by the Medical Council of Thailand; this being the latest of a long list of other awards:
Royal Decoration:
Currently, aside his professional appointment as Professor Emeritus of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital of Mahidol University, Bangkok, he is also a director of both the Orthopedic Center of Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital and the Spinal Center of Chaophya Hospital, Bangkok.