Department of Plastic Surgery

Vanderbilt University offers a balanced plastic surgery residency program conforming to the requirements of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The program is of two years duration, with prerequisites for entrance as specified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Rotations include the University Hospital , Baptist Hospital , Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, and the Veterans Administration Hospital. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is an established Level One Trauma Center, and the Department of Plastic Surgery has its own Center for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. In addition, Plastic Surgery participates in the Burn Center along with the Trauma/Critical Care Service. Major resident educational experience is centered in such categories as microvascular, craniofacial, congenital anomalies, head and neck cancer and its reconstruction, facial trauma and its reconstruction, aesthetic surgery and hand surgery, as well as a variety of problems requiring conventional musculocutaneous flap reconstruction. The Vanderbilt Burn Center provides total acute and reconstructive care of the burned patient.

Research laboratory facilities are available and expanding. Residents are encouraged to participate, and there is a separate appointment available for a Research Fellowship. The laboratory, under the direction of Lillian B. Nanney, Ph.D., is focused to investigate growth factor mechanisms controlling skin molecular healing and hyper-proliferative disorders. The facilities include a histopathology lab, molecular biology lab, darkroom, microscope with computerized morphometry and small animal surgery area. Research opportunities for residents can also be arranged in the Surgical Research Lab (large animal surgery), electron microscopy, Gross Anatomy Laboratory (cadaver dissection), common resource facilities at the V.A., Research Facility, and at the Burn Center.