Director: Benjamin Lam, DO, FACOS, FACS
Positions: 6
Our fellowship program offers top-notch training through clinical rotations which fulfill a thorough spectrum of disciplines within the plastic and reconstructive surgery specialty.
As a fellow during the three-year program you will receive training in general reconstruction, trauma, maxillofacial surgery, hand surgery, microvascular surgery, aesthetic surgery, breast reconstruction, burn care, oncoplastic surgery and cleft lip/cleft palate.
All rotations include academic conferences as well as several didactic sessions throughout the residency. Fellows are required to attend weekly plastic surgery conferences which include textbook and selected readings, chapter review, Journal Club, morbidity/mortality case review and weekly service reports. Fellows also utilize cadaver labs at PCOM and participate in required in-service training examinations.
Applicants must have completed general surgery residency training to be considered for the program.
The mission of the plastic surgery fellowship program is to train and develop physicians to practice as competent, caring plastic and reconstructive surgeons in the ambulatory, hospital and extended care settings.
Following prerequisite training in general surgery, the resident is trained in all major areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery so he or she will be able to practice this specialty completely; be prepared to take and pass the board certifying examination; and to understand and have the ability to perform research in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
The program goals and objectives are distributed to faculty and residents at the plastic surgery orientation each July. Residents are required to review their assigned rotation goals and objectives prior to each rotation change.
All rotation goals and objectives include general competencies and the principles of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
The overall goals and objectives are to:
The competency based goals and objectives are outlined for each rotation over a three‐year period. Upon reaching the second- and third-year rotations, the senior (chief) residents have increased responsibilities and authority in patient and operative care. This includes supervisory responsibility for junior residents. The clinical and specific milestones to be reached are outlined for each year demonstrating progressive responsibilities toward the third and final year.
Residents will receive specific training in:
Residents will gain experience in:
Residents completing the program must display judgment and technical capability for achieving satisfactory surgical results.
Instruction in the basic sciences is provided as an integrated part of the clinical training. Formal conferences and lectures enable discussion to broaden the resident’s knowledge in basic sciences (anatomy, pathology, physiology, embryology, radiation biology, genetics, microbiology, and pharmacy) and surgical principles fundamental to clinical plastic surgery. These didactic sessions and discussions allow time for evaluation of current medical literature and studies. Each faculty member is assigned didactic lectures in their area of expertise. In addition, attending physicians provide a great deal of one-on-one teaching regarding specific cases and problems encountered during ongoing patient care. Residents participate in the presentation of educational material at the conferences.
Residents are not encouraged to emphasize a particular area of plastic and reconstructive surgery during the three-year program; e.g. hand, head and neck, aesthetic, micro-vascular, or craniofacial surgery. However, if residents develop a specialized interest during their training, they are encouraged to seek a fellowship at another institution or remain with our program for an additional year to develop further expertise in that specialized area.
During each rotation, the resident will gain understanding of medico-legal and psychiatric aspects of plastic surgery practice. Residents regularly obtain informed consent from the patient.
During training, each resident demonstrates the following:
Upon completion of training, the resident demonstrates competence as follows:
It is the goal and objective of our training program to produce clinically and professionally competent independent surgeons in plastic surgery.
The close daily working relationship with a faculty member allows direct observation and interaction by the faculty with the resident in the clinics, office, conference, and operating room. This provides an excellent way to assess the general competencies and the accomplishment of all goals and objectives of the residents.
The program has a detailed goals and objective systems of rotations that are competency based. Close supervision of residents by faculty using multiple assessment tools documents yearly progression toward milestones and ultimate obtainment of goals. Completion of this process documents competency of the resident to independently practice plastic surgery.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America - Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA |
Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center - Jefferson | Philadelphia, PA |
Reading Hospital - Tower Health | West Reading, PA |
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children | Philadelphia, PA |
St. Mary Medical Center | Langhorne, PA |
Westchester Medical Center | Valhalla, NY |
Applicants must have completed general surgery residency training to be considered for the program.
Applicants must apply through the San Francisco Match (SF) at sfmatch.org.
All applicants for the PCOM Residency programs must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
For more information about this program, please contact:
Program Coordinator
Phone: 215-871-6693
Email: ChristineVi@pcom.edu
Department of Graduate Medical Education
Department of Graduate Medical Education
4190 City Avenue, Suite 409
Philadelphia, PA 19131
Phone: 1-800-778-4723
Email: GME@pcom.edu