Program Peek: Houston Methodist Hospital

By Janak A. Parikh, MD
Tuesday, March 1, 2022

History

1954: Thomas Cronin, MD, and Raymond Brauer, MD, launch a program to train young surgeons interested in plastic surgery, employing a preceptorship model.
1962: Dr. Cronin and Frank Gerow, MD, invent the first silicone gel-filled breast implant and place it in a patient.
1970: A formal plastic surgery training program begins at St. Joseph Medical Center.
1986: Dr. Cronin and Benjamin Cohen, MD, perform the first TRAM flap for breast reconstruction in Houston.
1987: Dr. Cronin establishes the first cleft-care team in Houston.
2006: The plastic surgery training program moves to Houston Methodist Hospital.
2015: Michael Klebuc, MD, performs the world's first scalp-skull transplant.

Leadership

Jeffrey D. Friedman, MD: Cathy and Ed Frank Centennial Chair in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery; Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, Academic Institute; Division Chief, Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery
Pierre M. Chevray, MD, PhD: Associate Professor, Department of Surgery; Director, Plastic Surgery Residency Program; Chair, Graduate Medical Education Committee
Donald R. Collins Jr., MD: Assistant Professor of Clinical Plastic Surgery; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery; Associate Director, Plastic Surgery Residency Program
Tue A. Dinh, MD: Assistant Professor of Surgery (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery); Director, Center for Genitourinary and Pelvic Reconstruction
Anthony Echo, MD: Assistant Professor in Plastic Surgery; Director, Clinical Research in Plastic Surgery
Warren A. Ellsworth IV, MD: Associate Professor of Clinical Plastic Surgery; Associate Professor of Surgery (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery); Director, The Center for Breast Restoration; Chief, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Houston Methodist West Hospital
Michael J.A. Klebuc, MD: Associate Professor of Clinical Plastic Surgery; Associate Professor of Clinical Plastic Surgery (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery); Associate Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery; Director, Center for Facial Paralysis Surgery and Functional Restoration
Aldona J. Spiegel, MD: Professor of Clinical Plastic Surgery; Director, Center for Breast Restoration; Chief, Division of Surgical Innovation

National leadership

Dr. Friedman: Board of Directors, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Dr. Collins: Board Member, CHRISTUS Foundation for Healthcare
Dr. Dinh: Vice President, Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons; Board Member, Vietnamese American Medical Association
Dr. Ellsworth: Board of Directors, ASPS; Secretary, Houston Society Plastic Surgeons
Dr. Klebuc: Vice President, American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery; President, Tagliacozzi Surgical Society
Dr. Spiegel: President, Houston Society Plastic Surgery; Program Chair, American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery; Co-Founder, Chair and International Meeting Organizer, Group for Advancement of Breast Reconstruction; Program Chair, Breast Reconstruction Subcommittee Chair, Annual Meeting Educational Program Committee, ASPS

Clinical experience

Houston Methodist has six independent residents (two per year) and provides broad training in all aspects of plastic surgery with a concentrated experience in reconstructive microsurgery, aesthetic surgery and craniofacial surgery. The training encompasses a variety of clinical settings and institutions, including private-practice settings; a county hospital; a Level I trauma center; community hospitals; Texas Children's Hospital; and an academic medical center.

Houston Methodist Hospital (Texas Medical Center)

Ranked the best hospital in Texas and the 16th best in the United States by U.S. News, Houston Methodist Hospital provides high-quality complex care and is nationally ranked in 10 specialties. The 984-bed hospital has 85 O.R.s and is home to 45 ACGME- (and 14 non-ACGME) accredited training programs.

Houston Methodist West Hospital (Katy, Texas)

A 219-bed hospital located 20 miles west of the medical center, Houston Methodist West Hospital plastic surgery does a high volume of autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction, Mohs reconstruction and aesthetic surgery.

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital (Willowbrook, Texas)

A large community hospital with 358 beds, Houston Methodist Willowbrook has a robust breast reconstruction and peripheral-nerve surgery experience for trainees.

Memorial Hermann Hospital (Texas Medical Center)

The largest Level I adult and pediatric trauma center in Texas, Memorial Hermann Hospital and Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital – which is housed inside Hermann Memorial Hospital – provide a high-volume experience in lower-extremity and facial reconstruction, as well as pediatric and craniofacial procedure experience.

Texas Children's Hospital (Texas Medical Center)

A nationally ranked, freestanding 973-bed children's hospital, Texas Children's Hospital is the primary site for pediatric and craniofacial services.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital

A county hospital, LBJ provides experience in a wide range of plastic surgery procedures and gives residents an opportunity for independence in the clinic and the O.R.

St. Joseph Medical Center

Located in downtown Houston, St. Joseph Medical Center is the birthplace of our residency program. It continues to provide an excellent aesthetic surgery and general plastic surgery experience.

Educational curriculum

Journal Club: A monthly review of key current and past articles is run by residents, with faculty input.
Core Curriculum: Weekly resident presentations are held on key topics in plastic surgery and attended by faculty as well as residents.
Indications Conference: An oral board-style conference is led by a different faculty member each Wednesday morning and attended by both Methodist and Baylor Plastic Surgery residents.
Hand conference: A review of topics in hand surgery is held every Thursday morning, together with Baylor plastic surgery residents.
Facelift/Rhinoplasty course
Annual cadaver course: Usually held in March after the In-Service Exam, the course is led by faculty members and focuses on cosmetic rhinoplasty and facelift procedures. It includes patient assessment and developing a surgical plan, as well as hands-on experience.
MD Anderson conference: A weekly conference is held each Friday morning to discuss reconstructive plans after oncologic resections.
Microsurgery Lab: This is a one-week microsurgery training course for first-year residents, and it contains open times for residents to further hone their microsurgical skills throughout the year.
Resident Aesthetic Clinic: A weekly resident aesthetic/injection clinic is offered, with hands-on experience using the different Botox and filler products available on the market. Participants also see and evaluate patients for different cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures, under the supervision of attending physicians.

Research, conferences, courses

Research: Faculty offer numerous research opportunities in which residents can participate, and the program has ample support for resident research ideas with two full-time research Fellows. Additionally, funding for research is available through the department and Houston Methodist Hospital.
Synthes Maxillofacial Trauma: An annual course is offered by Memorial Hermann plastic surgery faculty for plastic surgery and oral surgery residents from all programs in the Houston area.
Support for meetings: Full financial support is available for residents presenting their work at local or national meetings. Financial support is also provided for senior residents to attend the ASPS annual meeting and the ASPS Senior Residents Conference.
Mock Oral Exams: Citywide mock oral exams are held each Spring for second- and third-year residents from the UT Houston, Baylor and Methodist programs.
Dallas Rhinoplasty: Attendance at the Dallas Rhinoplasty and Facial Aesthetics course is funded in the second year.
Courses: Funding and/or time is provided for subspecialty educational opportunities such as the AO Hand and Synthes Maxillofacial trauma courses.
Mission Trips: Residents in their third year can participate in the international craniofacial surgery mission trip with Operation San Jose.

Resident benefits

Cameras: The program provides a digital SLR camera to each incoming resident, each of whom has access to Mirror to store and categorize their clinical photographs.
Textbooks: The program provides a copy of Grabb and Smith's Plastic Surgery to each incoming resident.
Personalized program fleece jacket: The program provides a personalized fleece to each resident as soon as they match into the program.
Subscription to Thieme's MedOne Plastic Surgery: This provides residents online access to all Thieme-published textbooks and surgical videos.
Methodist benefits: As Methodist employees, residents have free access to employee wellness programs (including free counseling, gym and group classes, and access to reduced-cost massages and acupuncture). Residents receive 10 parental PTO days for the birth of a child; have access to discounted childcare; and have 401k benefits with an employer match.
Methodist employee bonuses: Residents automatically receive monetary bonuses for hand washing, holidays and other programs throughout the year.

Dr. Parikh is PGY-7 at Houston Methodist Hospital.