RECONSTRUCTIVE only

[StillChoosing]

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[maxheadroom]

does anyone know if there are programs where residents are not required to do cosmetic surgeries and concentrate only on reconstructive surgeries?
No, programs must give residents the full spectrum of Plastic Surgery. This includes cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery principles are useful in Reconstructive Surgery and Reconstructive principles are the foundation of Cosmetic Surgery



Also, would it be possible to do reconstructive surgeries only once out of PRS residency?

Sure. The best option would be academics or a multi-specialty practice.

 

[Spinietzschon]

does anyone know if there are programs where residents are not required to do cosmetic surgeries and concentrate only on reconstructive surgeries?

It sounded cliche at first but there is significant overlap between cosmetics/reconstruction. For instance, after mastectomy procedure is considered breast reconstruction but no unfortunate woman/mother/wife/professional wants it to be simply functional, but as aesthetic as possible. If the concern is that people will look down on the profession because they don't realize they should equate what PRSs do with making this extremely traumatic experience as smooth as possible for the woman as well as the cosmetics for someone with more 'superficial' goals, just bring up some examples like these. I don't know anyone except maybe some really religious types who would have a problem with this type of work. And what you personally do is how you structure your career, for all they know you'll join the academic/large group and never do elective cosmetic surgery... All the same your patients having been through a very stressful situation (be it cancer, injury-flap/graft, loss of digit or whole limb whatever) will be glad they don't also look so bad that they never get away from being defined and remembered by everyone they meet foremost because of the incident (as they might if you only cared about functional reconstruction and never got some good tidbits on advanced cosmetic considerations).