PHILADELPHIA, PA — Dr. Asif Ilyas, president of the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University and Associate Dean of Clinical Research at the Drexel University College of Medicine, has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor.
The recognition marks Dr. Ilyas’ 10th year on the Castle Connolly Top Doctors list. He has also been named a Top Doctor by Philadelphia Magazine every year since 2017, including the magazine’s 2026 Top Doctors listing.
Castle Connolly’s 2026 Top Doctors list recognizes the top 7% of physicians nationwide. The organization’s selection process is based on peer nominations, professional achievements, and excellence in patient care, and the methodology is reviewed by the Castle Connolly Medical Advisory Board.
“I am honored to be recognized by Castle Connolly and Philadelphia Magazine, particularly because these distinctions are rooted in peer recognition,” Ilyas said. “The honor reflects not only the care we provide to patients but also the broader work advancing orthopedic research, improving surgical outcomes, and promoting safer approaches to pain management.”
Dr. Ilyas is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Hand Surgery. He specializes in hand, wrist, elbow, nerve, and orthopaedic trauma surgery, with clinical interests that include fracture surgery, nerve injury, wide-awake hand surgery, and opioid-sparing pain management strategies.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ilyas has built a substantial academic and research portfolio. He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and more than 20 book chapters, lectures nationally and internationally, and has helped advance research to reduce postoperative opioid use and dependence. He also serves as president of the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting evidence-based pain management strategies, educating patients and physicians, and informing opioid and pain management policy.
“At a time when patients are often asked to navigate a complicated health care system, trusted physician recognition can help patients make more informed decisions about their care,” Ilyas said. “For physicians, it is also a reminder that excellence in medicine must include clinical skill, research, education, communication, and compassion.”
Dr. Ilyas’ additional honors include being named an Orthopedic Surgery Research All-Star by Avant-garde Health in 2025, receiving the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society’s Distinguished Service Award in 2024, and earning multiple research and academic honors throughout his career. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society and has served as a consulting hand surgeon for both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Castle Connolly has more than 35 years of experience researching, reviewing, and selecting Top Doctors. Its 2026 list features more than 72,000 board-certified physicians across all 50 states and spanning 85 medical specialties.
About the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education
The Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to raising awareness of the ongoing opioid crisis, educating physicians and patients on safe opioid prescribing and use, supporting research on opioids and alternative pain modalities, and advising policymakers on evidence-based opioid and pain management policy.
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