Arielle Stafford, MD

Dr. Arielle Stafford is a specialty care physician board certified in surgery. She joined Inova in 2016 through a general surgery residency and has been practicing since 2016.

Dr. Stafford is originally from Bridgeport, WV. She went to college at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV, where she was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and graduated summa cum laude. She received her medical degree from West Virginia School of Medicine, where she discovered her love of surgery and gained a passion for increasing medical access among rural, underserved and marginalized populations. Upon graduation, she moved to Northern Virginia and completed a general surgery residency at Inova Fairfax Hospital. She received numerous honors, including the 2021 Senior Resident Excellence in Research Award and the 2020 Leadership Award for Best Senior Resident of the Year. Prior to returning to Inova, Dr. Stafford completed a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

As a breast surgeon, Dr. Stafford offers a variety of breast surgeries/procedures, including skin punch biopsy, excisional biopsies, lumpectomy/partial mastectomy with or without oncoplastic surgery (hidden scar, lift/reduction), mastectomies (skin sparing, nipple sparing, or aesthetically flat closure), sentinel lymph node biopsies, targeted axillary dissection, and axillary lymph node dissections. She also manages other breast-related issues such as nipple discharge, abnormal imaging or pathology findings, breast pain, and risk-reduction discussions for patients at high risk of breast cancer.

Dr. Stafford currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, two cats, and two dogs. She enjoys painting, horticulture, and spending time with family and friends.