The division of plastic surgery's integrated residency program is designed to provide aspiring medical school graduates with the education and skills training necessary to become competent professional plastic surgeons. By the conclusion of their sixth year, they will be well prepared for board certification in plastic surgery and enabled to meet the specific needs of their patients.

Foundation in General Surgery

The integrated program begins with a foundation of cognitive, intuitive, and technical skills in general surgery. Early exposure and expansion into the plastic surgery arena also begins in the resident's first year.

The six-year program combines core general surgery residency experience with progressively increasing months of plastic surgery residency training. 

The early years provide individuals with a progressive graduated educational foundation in general surgery and other allied surgical disciplines pertinent to the skills required in plastic surgery.

Collaborative Services

Considerable use has been made of collaborative services including the development of a hand service, a head and neck service, a breast service, wound care center, and the multidisciplinary craniofacial team.

The hand service rotations serve as an example of the level of progressive involvement throughout the tiers of the integrated program. The exposure to the service in year two is as a junior resident followed by a return to the service in the fourth year as an intermediate level resident and, finally, the fifth year as a chief resident.

Training Tomorrow's Leaders

UK plastic surgery residents receive clinical exposure that encompasses the full breadth and depth of reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery.  Residents are engaged in clinical and translational research at all stages of their training. Graduating residents are well prepared to pursue fellowships or go directly into practice. The goal of our residency is not just to train capable plastic surgeons, but to produce tomorrow’s leaders in the specialty.