Residency Information
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Integrated Residency Program
The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Residency Program at Wake Forest Baptist Health accepts two applicants per year into an integrated six year program. The first three years are comprised of a diverse collection of rotations centered on understanding general surgery and the surgical subspecialties, while the final three years are dedicated to clinical training in plastic and reconstructive surgery. During the first three years, residents rotate on general surgery services including surgical oncology, trauma & emergency general surgery, critical care, pediatric, vascular, minimally invasive, transplant, and burn surgery. Rotations on subspecialty services include ENT, Orthopaedics, Urology, Mohs surgery, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, and eight months on the Plastic Surgery service at Wake Forest. Additionally, a total of three months are spent during the first three years in the general surgery private practice setting at nearby Forsyth Medical Center. The resident is closely integrated with the Plastic Surgery department during the first three years through attendance at monthly journal clubs, visiting professor lectures, and the business of medicine course.
During the 2nd and 3rd year, four months are allotted as protected time for the pursuit of research interests. Many of these projects develop from ancillary interests during the first three years and include all arenas of plastic and reconstructive surgery including, but not limited to, the evaluation and implementation of new techniques and devices.
The last three years are spent entirely on the Plastic Surgery service. Residents receive vast clinical training in reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, pediatric and craniofacial surgery, burn reconstruction, hand surgery, and microsurgery. While on service, time is divided between both inpatient and outpatient operative experiences. Plastic surgery residents are responsible for a resident reconstructive clinic supervised by the faculty.
The chief year at Wake Forest includes a chief resident clinic that has been in continuous operation for over 20 years. This clinic occupies a specific and protected period of time encompassing one full day of each week during the chief resident year. The day is divided equally into clinical and operative segments run by the two chief residents in each year’s class. Patients are not assigned individually to a resident but are instead treated as shared patients throughout the process. On the initial day of consultation, patients are interviewed by both chief residents and preoperative photographs are obtained. Operative plans are determined in accordance with the patient’s wishes. These plans and the preoperative photographs are then reviewed with faculty at a weekly preoperative conference. Input is provided by all attending surgeons on staff and a final operative course is determined and discussed with a single attending surgeon of record. Intra-operative attending input and aid is readily available when requested. As a result of its availability, this additional and expert perspective is frequently utilized.
Requirements for residency include the completion of a significant research project for presentation at the national meeting and participation in the annual resident research day. Participation in both basic science and clinical research is encouraged throughout the six years of training and many opportunities exist to this end.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Submission requirements:
- USMLE/NBME scores
- Personal Statement
- Dean's Letter
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Medical School Transcript
- Recent Photograph
APPLICATION TIMELINE 2012-2013
November 1st — Deadline for application submission
Early November — Interview invitation sent to potential residents
December 7 & January 10 — Interviews conducted
February — Match list is compiled
March — Match day is held
RESIDENCY PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Lynn Cauble, C-TAGME
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1075
Phone 336.713.4372
Fax 336.716.6642
Email lcauble@wakehealth.edu