Resident education is a highly valued activity for all residents and staff. Residents collaborate with the staff in structuring the various conferences to provide a broad based didactic experience.

Plastic surgery education and board preparation takes place during weekly conferences involving both the USF and clinical affiliate faculty. Visiting professors are recruited nationally through the ASPS, ASMS, ASSH, and Aesthetic Society. Plastic Surgery Grand Rounds occur every Monday afternoon with either a resident or faculty member presenting a major topic in plastic surgery. This is followed by a Clinical Correlation lecture where challenging cases and photos are presented for advanced discussion and debate. The hand service also has weekly conferences with an indications conference (review of cases and x-rays from previous week) on Monday and a core curriculum lecture on Friday.

Various cadaver dissection labs occur throughout the year at the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation Center. Dr. Michael Harrington runs a Head and Neck Cadaver labs every 3 months to review approaches to the facial skeleton as well as facial flaps. Extremity and trunk flap labs are performed at various times during the academic calendar. 

Every 6 months, each level resident is responsible for presenting a level appropriate case to Dr. Wyatt Payne and Dr. Michael Harrington. The case is selected from the residents case logs and organized in oral board format.

Throughout the six-year training program, our residents receive level specific benefits and educational opportunities:

• Grabb & Smith Plastic Surgery Textbook
• American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS) Basic Maxillofacial Course
• Microsurgery Training Course
• Duke or Penn Flap Course
• Southeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting
• American Society of Plastic Surgery Annual Meeting & Senior Resident Conference