Summa Health System is one of the largest organized delivery systems in Ohio. Encompassing a network of hospitals, community health centers, a health plan, a physician-hospital organization, an entrepreneurial entity, research and a foundation, Summa is renowned for excellence in patient care and for exceptional approaches to health care delivery.

Plastic Surgery Residency

The Plastic Surgery residency is an approved two-year program leading to board eligibility by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The program is based at Summa Health System and includes rotations at both Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron and Akron General Medical Center. Two residents enter the Plastic Surgery residency each year. Residents are selected through the San Francisco matching program.

Applicants for the program are required to have a minimum of three years of training in a general surgery program approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. The training of those candidates who have been certified by other national boards may fulfill the prerequisite of general surgery training. A letter from the American Board of Plastic Surgery verifying the applicant's general surgery training is required prior to acceptance into the training program. Usually only applicants who will have completed 5 years of general surgery training are successful in matching.

Instruction is provided in the full spectrum of plastic and reconstructive surgery. This includes the diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies, maxillofacial trauma and reconstruction, hand surgery, microvascular surgery, neoplasms of the head and neck, aesthetic surgery and burn care.

Residents rotate through all three participating hospitals. During the first year of training, the resident spends four months at Summa Health System, four months at Akron General Medical Center and four months at Children's Medical Center of Akron. One month of the four months at Children's is spent in the Regional Burn Center. The second year is spent as a two-month rotation at each of the three hospitals with an additional three months rotation on the Hand Service and a three-month private out-patient surgery rotation. The Hand Rotation is at the Crystal Clinic, which also includes an out-patient surgery elective.

During this two-year period of training, the resident is exposed to all areas within the scope of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Summa Health System has a large volume of reconstructive, head and neck and trauma surgery.

The Children's Medical Center acts as a regional pediatric center for Northeaster Ohio extending from Akron to the southeastern portion of the state. Through this rotation the residents are exposed to a large volume of congenital anomalies and pediatric procedures, including cranio-facial surgery, performed at Children's Hospital. The Regional Burn Unit is also located at Children's Hospital. Akron General Medical Center exposes the residents to a large volume of general plastic surgery, including orthognathic and cosmetic surgery. The progression of resident responsibility depends on their individual talents and aptitudes. However, residents are expected to take on a greater and greater role in patient management and to perform increasing amounts of surgery as the primary surgeon acting as an independent operator.

Conference

In addition to the monthly hand conference, pediatric conference, head and neck conference, oral board preparation and journal club, there is a weekly core curriculum conference in plastic surgery that is designed to augment the clinical exposure. The conferences are often multidisciplinary. Residents are encouraged to attend national meetings and symposiums paid for by the hospital during their two-year training experience.

Research

A separate isolated research experience is not included in the plastic surgery curriculum. However, each resident is required to present a research paper at a national, regional or local scientific meeting each year. Research activities are coordinated through our Research Committee. The committee meets annually to review the projects with the residents and to direct the research effort. Research projects may also be developed with the Bioengineering Department of the University of Akron. Animal laboratories and microsurgical facilities are available at both Summa Health System and Akron General Medical Center.

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This article is reposted with thanks to Summa Medical Education.