Training Curriculum

 

Philosophy:

Milestones and curriculum increase in content and complexity as the medical school graduate matures into a surgeon capable of autonomous practice of plastic surgery. As themes, the year progress as follows;

The resident will identify self as:

          PGY 1: physician

          PGY 2 - 3: surgeon and medical educator

          PGY 4 -5: plastic surgeon and surgical educator

          PGY 6:surgical leader and supervised autonomous practitioner

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Clinical Curriculum: 72 months

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Didactic Curriculum

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Conferences are held each week covering the plastic surgery curriculum twice over three-year cycles. Primary conferences are held Monday evenings and Wednesday mornings. Saturday morning hands on / simulation sessions occur 5-6 times per year.

 

• Grand Rounds: Residents, Faculty, local, regional and National Plastic Surgeons present timely topics in Plastic Surgery.

• Journal Club: Held 6 times yearly, residents present the most important articles from the past two months in the White Journal, the Aesthetic Journal, the Hand Journal and the Craniofacial Journal.

• Peer Review and Quality Improvement (M&M): Held 6 times yearly, faculty and residents review cases to find ways to improve performance. Plastic Surgery Operative Logs are reviewed at this time.

• Junior Resident Curriculum Conference (CoreQuest): Held weekly, questions and readings from CoreQuest are reviewed in a seminar format centering on the basic science, diagnosis and office management of plastic surgery.

• Senior Resident Curriculum: twice monthly evening seminars lead by faculty on plastic surgery operative management

• Visiting Professors: We have two endowed visiting professorships to bring in national and international faculty for a 2 day visit that includes hands on training, small conversations, case presentations and formal lectures.  A division dinner is a social highlight of these visits.

• Interactive Activities include hands on workshops and bootcamps, anatomic laboratory, robotic training, virtual reality simulation,  indications / case conferences and general professional development topics.

 

Regional and National Societies

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• Illinois Society of Plastic Surgeons: Residents may join the Chicago Medical Society to become members of ISPS. Residents may attend the evening visiting professor dinners which occur 4-6 times per year at local venues.

• Midwestern Association of Plastic Surgeons: MAPS meets annually in the spring at varied venues for a 2 day meeting of regional and national speakers and  residency research paper competitions in basic and clinical research. Programs from Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Missouri participate. Abstract submission is expected in years 3 through 6.

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons – resident membership is paid for by the Division to provide access to the ASPS Education Network and other benefits. Division provides support to attend the Senior Resident conference in the final year of program.

• American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons – Division provides registration for the ASMS Basic Course on years when in Chicago.

• Faculty members will provide letters of recommendations necessary for residents to join other societies

  • American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association

  • American College of Surgeons

  • American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons

  • American Society of Surgery for the Hand

  • The Aesthetic Society

 

Diversity and Inclusion:

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The Division of Plastic Surgery fully supports the mission of UIC College of Medicine and UIHealth in recruitment and retention of a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community we serve in Chicago and Illinois.

 

Graduates from the last 10 years (2012-2022) includes the following categories of diversity: women (12), Latina/Hispanic (3), middle eastern (6), Asian (1), Black (1), international medical graduates (IMG - 2), osteopathic physicians (3).

 

Employment:

 

Residents are employees of the University of Illinois and are represented by the Committee for Interns and Residents (CIR), a member of Service Employee International Union (SEIU).

 

The UIC GME office sponsors J-1 work visas through the ECFMG.

 

Benefits provided by the Division of Plastic Surgery

·     Funding for residents to present scholarly activity at designated meetings – requires approval prior to submission of abstract

·     Support for approved educational meeting in years PGY 4 – 6 up to $1500

·     Paid annual membership to ASPS

·     Paid registration for ASPS Plastic Surgery In-Service Exam annually

·     Division of Plastic Surgery swag (jacket, OR cap, etc)

 

Benefits from University of Illinois Hospital:

          Education stipend

          On call meal stipend

          Annual holiday gift from UIH

          Discounted access to UIC athletic facilities

          Parental leave

          Vacation – 20 days per year

          Retirement savings program

          Annual learning modules

          Temporary medical license until qualified for permanent license

 

Specific information about employment will be available on the UIC Office of Graduate Medical Education website. https://hospital.uillinois.edu/about-ui-health/education/graduate-medical-education-gme

 

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