Residents in plastic surgery will become involved in a basic science or clinical research project early in their residency (PGY I Research rotation) so that ample time will be available to complete a project. Specific time devoted strictly to the research project will be assigned as an integral part of more senior rotations focused during the PGY V year.

The research will be conducted under the supervision of one of the faculty members within the Department of Plastic Surgery. Exceptions will be made if a collaborative effort with an investigator outside of plastic surgery is arranged. The research topic will be of the resident's own choosing, and the project will be overseen by the designated faculty advisor. Basic research, as well as chart reviews and/or unique case reports, are all acceptable for research. Funding for projects will be provided through Departmental funds or external grants.

There are several research requirements for graduation. They include the completion, submission, and acceptance and/or presentation of four abstracts, the completion of one grant, and the submission and acceptance of one manuscripts into a peer-reviewed journal

Financial support is available for approved podium presentations of original research conducted during residency. For approved podium presentations a maximum stipend of $750 per year is available to cover travel and lodging expenses.  For podium presentations, the time allowed away from service includes one travel day before the presentation, the day of the presentation, and one day return travel after the presentation without the use of vacation days. Meetings considered suitable for attendance with podium presentation without requiring use of vacation time include ASPS, AAPS, PSRC, CSPS, SCC ACS, and certain sub-specialty educational meetings approved by the Program Director.

We also have 3-5 summer research positions annually for Medical Students who are able to compete for Walter Macpherson grants. Our students have been extremely productive in their research and have presented papers at local, regional, and national meetings.  Please see Walter E. Macpherson Society summer research program for further details.

Recent Projects

  • Liposomal Bupivacaine in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction
  • Investigating Plastic Surgery Board Certification: Do Our Patients Know How to Do Their Homework?
  • Multimodality Minimally Invasive Treatment of Large Joint Osteoarthritis: A Pilot trial of Stromal Vascular Fraction from Autologous Fat Combined with Platelet-Rich Plasma
  • Establishing Milestones for Facial Injectables in Plastic Surgery Residency Training: Four-Year Follow-Up
  • A Comparative Analysis of Surgical Wound Infection Methods: Predictive Values of the CDC, ASEPSIS, and Southampton Scoring Systems in Evaluating Breast Reconstruction Surgical Site Infections
  • Endoscopic Brow Lift Fixation with Mitek Suture Anchors: A Nine-Year Experience of a New "Ideal” Technique
  • A Utility Analysis of Decision Making for Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy and Genetic Risk for Breast Cancer: a Template for Personalized Patient Guidance
  • Metopic Craniosynostosis and Down Syndrome: Coincidence or Association?
  • Personalizing Decision Making for Patients Choosing Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy: A Utility Analysis of Genetic Factors and the Relative Risk of Breast Cancer
  • Anesthetic Exposure in Staged versus Non-Staged Cleft Lip and Palate Repair: Can We Reduce Risk of Anesthesia-Induced Developmental Neurotoxicity?
  • Assessment of Secondary Hand Surgery Timing Interval on Outcomes and Complications
  • Preoperative Weight Loss as a Predictor of Outcomes in Mastectomy Procedures: A Proxy for Expectations in Breast Reconstruction
  • A Survey Based Assessment of Surgical Options for Cleft Lip and Palate Repair