Plastic Surgery Residency Columbia - Program Details

Developing Critical Thinking and Technical Skills

The Prisma Health/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia Plastic Surgery Residency Program accepts one resident into each year of training, to provide the greatest possible individual attention to the growth and development of the knowledge base and technical skills of the surgeon.

Developing the skills for critical thinking and lifelong learning are important aspects of the training and will be strongly emphasized. The first two years will focus on a broad education in principles of surgery, to include rotations in general surgery, critical care, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, orthopedic surgery, pediatric surgery, dermatology, and oral surgery. Junior residents also rotate on the plastic surgery service, working one-on-one with attendings in our apprenticeship model.

The latter four years are spent honing plastic surgery skills and specializations. Residents are given three elective months to fine tune their own opportunities. We stress graduated operative autonomy and pre-operative assessments. Residents will also be involved in clinical or basic science research with opportunities for presentations at meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Training Sites

The majority of the clinical education will take place in a number of venues in Columbia, South Carolina. PrismaHealth Richland Hospital is our primary location. There will be two one-month away rotations: Transplantation and Burn at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Living arrangements are included for each away rotation. Other rotations will take place in the private practices of our participating adjunct faculty.

The program will also feature didactic instruction as well as various conferences to include: morbidity and mortality conferences, cancer and breast conference, hand conference and journal club. Call schedules, policies and vacations will adhere to ACGME guidelines.

Medical Student Instruction

All faculty are dedicated to and enjoy teaching future plastic surgeons in an atmosphere of mutual respect for both ourselves and our patients. The plastic surgery training program is intimately involved with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, and medical school students in the 3rd and 4th years routinely rotate onto the plastic surgery service. Students from other programs are encouraged to apply for Externships through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities program of the AAMC.