Message from the Chairman of Plastic Surgery
2008 - 2009 Academic Year
Welcome to the six-year Integrated Training Program in Plastic Surgery at Georgetown University Hospital. We believe that this program is truly one of the most progressive and complete such programs currently available in the United States today. Our existing program, founded in 1997, one of the first such integrated programs in the United States, is focused on broadly educating young surgeons in virtually all aspects of plastic surgery. While this rightly includes clinical skills, we also emphasize scholarly enterprise and expect our residents to make academic contributions to the specialty of plastic surgery during their training.
Our goal is to start with curious and bright young people and propel them onto a lifelong career of constant learning and leadership in our specialty. We seek highly intelligent, hard working, and well-motivated individuals who perform well in a team environment and who are capable of the technical and physical skills that are necessary in plastic surgery.
Our educational program is constantly evolving to embrace the rapidly expanding and changing body of knowledge that makes up plastic surgery. Each week, Thursday mornings are dedicated to a comprehensive learning program which includes a three-year didactic curriculum, journal club, problem case conferences, quality improvement conferences, mock oral boards, and other enriching experiences. Long before it was popular or required by the ACGME, we had embraced the vision of an 80-hour duty week limit and other progressive concepts that make surgical education a more meaningful experience for the resident.
Research and scholarly opportunities are plentiful at Georgetown. Our program includes two M.D., Ph.D.’s and our faculty and residents contribute substantially to the plastic surgery literature in a number of different subspecialty areas including breast reconstruction, wound healing, nerve repair, craniofacial surgery, microsurgery, and cosmetic surgery. There are currently 11 full-time faculty in our training program including six at Georgetown University Hospital, two at George Washington University Hospital, two at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in the District of Columbia, and one at the National Children’s Medical Center in Washington DC. With 18 residents, several fellows, and 11 full-time faculty working in eight affiliated hospitals, this program is one of the largest and most diverse in the United States. Several of our surgeons are considered international experts in their respective fields, making them highly sought-after educators around the world.
If it is your goal to be part of a comprehensive, progressive, dynamic, and rapidly expanding training program, we encourage you to contact us at Georgetown University Hospital
Scott L. Spear, M.D.
Professor and Chairman The Department of Plastic Surgery
Georgetown University Hospital
