Top Doctors in Atlanta 2023: Eric J. Velazquez, MD
Eric J. Velazquez, MD
Photograph by Ben Rollins

Atlanta's Top Docs 2023

Every summer, we present a roster of the city’s best doctors, as selected by their peers. This year’s list was based on more than 10,000 votes from local physicians.

Learn more about how the list is compiled here.

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Primary Care

Specialists

Doctors tell their stories

Why I love my specialty: Atlanta’s top doctors share the patients, challenges, and victories that inspire them

"There are fewer than 20 pediatric ophthalmologists left in the state to serve a large population of children who need our help to see," says Shivani Sethi. "That means I’m busy, but I find it even more rewarding to work with children throughout my day. I’ve never met a pediatric ophthalmologist who isn’t happy doing their job. Every single day we help tiny babies see and experience the world."

Who decides who is a Top Doctor?

Who picks the doctors?
The doctors in this feature were selected by Professional Research Services (PRS), a firm based in Troy, Michigan, which conducted an online survey of all licensed physicians in the metro Atlanta area. Physicians were asked to nominate fellow physicians whom they deemed to be the best in their fields of practice. More than 10,000 votes were cast, honoring excellence in all fields of medicine. Physicians may appear in multiple specialties. For additional information, visit prscom.com.

If my doctor is not on the list or has dropped off the list since last year, does that mean my doctor is not a good physician?
Of course not. Although peer review is a helpful way to assess a doctor’s skill set, it is certainly not the only way. Some physicians, especially those in academic medicine, have higher public profiles and may be more likely to be chosen. Our list is limited by space, and many excellent physicians narrowly miss being included from year to year.

Do you check out the doctors who are nominated?
Yes. For all nominated physicians, PRS verifies their licensure and looks for any infractions noted through applicable boards, agencies, and rating services. They also reach out to every practice to verify names, addresses, phone numbers, and other information provided.

Is this the same list as last year?
There is always some turnover on our annual list. Certainly, many of the best-known and most well-established physicians appear every year because more colleagues are familiar with their work. However, that also means physicians have been observing their positive outcomes for longer periods of time.

Who provided the “about our practice” information?
This was the doctors’ own opportunity (free of charge) to share their messages about special expertise, unique procedures, or patient-care policies that make their practices stand out.

Does advertising affect who is included on the list?
Absolutely not. Whether or not a physician advertises with Atlanta magazine has no influence on their being included in this issue. In fact, the list is finalized before any ad space is offered for sale.

Why not ask patients to rank doctors?
Our list is based on professional assessment of medical expertise. While patients can judge doctors’ communication and caregiving skills, they are not as qualified to judge clinical effectiveness.

Do doctors admit patients only to the hospitals they listed here?
No. We ask doctors to provide up to three primary hospitals or health systems. Physicians often have privileges at more facilities.

About the List

The doctors in this feature were selected by Professional Research Services (PRS), a firm based in Troy, Michigan, which conducted an online peer-review survey of all licensed physicians in the metro Atlanta area. Physicians were asked to nominate fellow physicians whom they deemed to be the best in their fields of practice. More than 10,000 votes were cast honoring excellence in all fields of medicine. Nominations were screened through verification of licensing and review of any infractions through applicable boards, agencies, and rating services. Physicians may appear in multiple specialties. Also, hospital affiliations are listed in alphabetical order. For additional information, visit prscom.com. Atlanta magazine was not involved in the process, and advertising has no bearing on selection. Doctors cannot pay to be considered or selected for this Top Doctors list.