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CC BY-NC 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2020; 47(01): 70-77
DOI: 10.5999/aps.2019.00409
Original Article

Graduate perception of cosmetic surgery training in plastic surgery residency and fellowship programs

Authors

  • Ledibabari Mildred Ngaage   

    Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Cecelia J Kim  

    University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Chelsea Harris

    Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Colton HL McNichols

    Department of Plastic Surgery, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Chinezimuzo Ihenatu

    University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Carly Rosen

    University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Adekunle Elegbede 

    Department of Plastic Surgery, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Selim Gebran 

    Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Fan Liang

    Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Erin M Rada 

    University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Arthur Nam

    Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Sheri Slezak

    Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Scott D Lifchez

    Department of Plastic Surgery, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Yvonne M Rasko 

    Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Background As the demand for cosmetic surgery continues to rise, plastic surgery programs and the training core curriculum have evolved to reflect these changes. This study aims to evaluate the perceived quality of current cosmetic surgery training in terms of case exposure and educational methods.

Methods A 16-question survey was sent to graduates who completed their training at a U.S. plastic surgery training program in 2017. The survey assessed graduates’ exposure to cosmetic surgery, teaching modalities employed and their overall perceived competence. Case complexity was characterized by the minimum number of cases needed by the graduate to feel confident in performing the procedure.

Results There was a 25% response rate. The majority of respondents were residents (83%, n=92) and the remaining were fellows (17%, n=18). Almost three quarters of respondents were satisfied with their cosmetic training. Respondents rated virtual training as the most effective learning modality and observing attendings’ patients/cases as least effective. Perceived competence was more closely aligned with core curriculum status than case complexity, i.e. graduates feel more prepared for core cosmetic procedures despite being more technically difficult than non-core procedures.

Conclusions Despite the variability in cosmetic exposure during training, most plastic surgery graduates are satisfied with their aesthetic training. Incorporation of teaching modalities, such as virtual training, can increase case exposure and allow trainees more autonomy. The recommended core curriculum is adequately training plastic surgery graduates for common procedures and more specialized procedures should be consigned to aesthetic fellowship training.

Keywords

Aesthetic surgery - Residency - Fellowship - Curriculum - Training

* The two authors contributed equally to this work.


Supplemental Material 1. Study survey.



Publication History

Received: 10 March 2019

Accepted: 23 November 2019

Article published online:
25 March 2022

© 2020. The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, permitting unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

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