Plastic Surgery Residency

Overview

The Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Independent Residency in Plastic Surgery is a three-year, AGGME accredited residency program.

The Institution as a whole and the Department is deeply committed to its resident’s education and well-being.

We accept candidates from General Surgery and from other specialties that meet ABPS criteria for an Independent Program.

We are one of the oldest established ACGME approved residencies at Cleveland Clinic Florida and have graduated residents who have gone on to succeed in both academic as well as private practices.

The Program is rooted in teamwork and characterized by its civilized training philosophy which states, “Residents and attendings within these walls are all colleagues separated by a few years of training and experience.”

Candidates who enroll in our Program can look forward to gaining a world class clinical experience in Plastic Surgical training supported by most a comprehensive didactic program whose goal is to prepare candidates to sit for national exams.

Our three-year curriculum rotates our residents through the Cleveland Clinic Florida (located in the suburban community of Weston) as well as Broward General Hospital (located in downtown Ft. Lauderdale). This “best of both worlds” experience provides our residents exposure to both privately insured patient populations as well as a public health system – a critical element of any good training program.

Additional rotations expose the residents to several South Florida Cosmetic private practices, pediatric populations, and a Burn Center.

Located in one of the most coveted regions of the country, our residents also enjoy the lifestyle benefits that makes the Miami / Ft. Lauderdale area a world famous destination.  

Program Highlights

• First in the world to incorporate laser imaging technology in breast surgery.
• Pioneers in innovative surgical and non-invasive cosmetic procedures to our patients.
• DIEP reconstruction where a person’s own tissue is used in breast reconstruction.
• Cutting-edge new technologies, procedures, and products.
• Limb salvage.
• Lymphedema surgery.
• Migraine surgery.
• Gender affirmation surgery.
• A collaborative and team approach with Cleveland Clinic Florida's Bariatric Center of Excellence in maximizing results with body contouring following bariatric surgery and weight loss.

Program Director

Residency Program Director
Head of Clinical Research
Director of Education, Weston
Director and Coordinator/Academic Advancement Series

Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, CC Learner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Clinical Associate Professor, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University
Affiliate Assistant Professor of Clinical Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic College of Medicine

President, Broward County Society of Plastic Surgeons
Past-President, Miami Society of Plastic Surgeons
Board Member, Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons
Former Councilman, South Florida Chapter, American College of Surgeons

Diplomate American Board of Plastic Surgery
Diplomate American College of Surgeons
Fellow, American Association of Plastic Surgeons
Fellow, American College of Surgeons

Contact Us

If you have any questions pertaining to Cleveland Clinic Florida's Plastic Surgery Program, please feel free to contact our program coordinator.

Allison Perez
Senior GME Program Coordinator
Email: PEREZA21@ccf.org
Phone: 954.870.0106

Program

Once matriculated, you can look forward to an outstanding three-year experience which exposes you to every aspect of plastic surgical training.

You will spend about half your time at the Cleveland Clinic Florida main campus in Weston/Coral Springs, and about half your time at our sister training site at the Broward General System.

The 6 residents, who form our combined complement, are made up of 2 three-resident teams.

Three of these residents will match into the Cleveland Clinic Florida side of the program and three residents will match into the Broward Health System.

Teams will alternate between the two hospitals every 3 months.

Each year, teams are shuffled so everyone gets a chance to work with everyone.

At any given location, you will rotate in 1 month blocks. For example, if you are assigned to the Cleveland Clinic Florida main hospital, you may rotate through “General Plastics”, “Anesthesia” and “Hand” before moving to Broward General for your next 3 month block.

Training and autonomy are progressive and commensurate with your level of training.

The First Year

The first year will be your introduction into the world of Plastic Surgery. Together, we will build on the skills and knowledge base that you acquired during your prerequisite training and take them to the next level. 

Residents often ask what they can do to prepare for the first year in a plastic surgical training program. Becoming familiar with the anatomy of the hand and of the head neck are often recommended. As well, familiarity with common plastic surgical operations such as breast reduction and breast reconstruction will serve you well.

Cleveland Clinic* = CC Weston/Coral Springs with exposure to General Plastics, Cosmetics, Micro, Hand at our locations.

The rotations of the first year include:

The Second Year

At this level of training most residents feel as if they have a good understanding of the breadth and depth of Plastic Surgery. They are comfortable performing most operations and have a good understanding of the knowledge base they must acquire prior to sitting for national board exams. Therefore, there is an emphasis this year on the required ancillary rotations.

Cleveland Clinic* = CC Weston/Coral Springs with exposure to General Plastics, Cosmetics, Micro, Hand at our locations.

The rotations of the second year include:

The Third Year

In the final year of plastic surgical training emphasis is placed upon honing skills and deepening your understanding of the principles of Plastic Surgery. It is also an opportunity to prepare you for the practice of plastic surgery. Therefore, the third year includes rotations where you learn sedation, dermatology where you perform MOHS closures and private community offices where you gain exposure to some of South Florida’s most well know plastic surgeons in their private practices.

Cleveland Clinic* = CC Weston/Coral Springs with exposure to General Plastics, Cosmetics, Micro, Hand at our locations.

The rotations of the third year include:

Conferences

The Plastic Surgery Department holds two weekly education conferences. 

Conference time is “protected time”. All residents are excused from clinical duties so that they may attend educational conferences with a clear mind and without distractions.

Conferences are topic-based. Our current schedule includes 2 hours every Monday evening and 2 hours every Wednesday morning.

Monday evenings are dedicated to didactic presentations, Quality and Assurance presentations, Research meetings and Hands-On Labs.

Wednesday morning conferences are didactic and take advantage of the Cleveland Clinic Ohio plastic surgery presentations.  

In this manner, a comprehensive Core Curriculum is covered each year. 

Journal Clubs

In addition to the above, 2 Journal Clubs are held monthly, one for plastics and one for Hand.. For the Plastics journal clubs we meet at a local upscale restaurant along with several community plastic surgeons from the tri-county area (Miami, Broward/Ft. Lauderdale, and Palm Beach County). 

Current and classic literature and journal articles on a wide array of plastic surgical topics are presented and discussion of each follows. 

Residents, staff and community surgeons speak very highly of the Journal Clubs as being both educational and enjoyable.

Hand Journal club is virtual and includes some of the most experienced and talented upper extremity surgeons in the Cleveland Clinic Enterprise. 

Finally, our residents are invited to and speak highly of many community events including meetings of the Miami Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Broward County Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the annual Baker-Gordon Aesthetic Symposium. 

Teaching Experience

General Surgery residents, medical students and allied health professional students are often assigned to your team for one-month rotations. This affords our residents the opportunity to teach in clinic, hospital and surgical settings.

Often our residents establish long-lasting relationships with their students involving them in research, conferences or other educational activities.

Simulation Lab

Our new Mangurian Simulation Center is a flagship of the Cleveland Clinic Florida training programs. It is a 2,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art laboratory located on the top floor of the Braathen Building overlooking the lush landscape of Weston. It boasts the most advanced surgical equipment and technology. 

It is an ideal site for microsurgery training, cadaver labs, plating workshops and a variety of practical, hands-on surgical education.

In addition to our on-site training, many residents take advantage of the Cleveland Clinc Ohio’s microsurgery course which can be supported by the Department on a case-by-case basis.

Application Process

How to Apply

The Cleveland Clinic Florida Independent Plastic Surgery Residency Program participates in the San Francisco Match Program.

You are encouraged to visit this website early and often during your third-year of General Surgery training to become familiar with prerequisites, required documentation and timetables.

You are also encouraged to visit the American Board of Plastic Surgeons website. There you may obtain a copy of the ABPS “Booklet of Information” which will serve as a critical resource for you – not only during the application process, but also during your career as a plastic surgeon.

All applicants are required to obtain a letter from the American Board of Plastic Surgeons referred to as “Resident Registration and Evaluation of Training.”

Benefits

Benefits information including salaries, insurance information and more, can be found by visiting the Graduate Medical Education Benefits page.

Program Wellness

We recognize that residency is one of the top groups of medical professionals most impacted by physician burnout. Accordingly, a variety of resources are available to our residents for the purpose of promoting resident wellness and combating burnout. These include:

• Psychological support and counseling at no charge

• Assigned Resident Advisors who serve as sources of guidance and mentoring throughout their training.

• Orientation reception designed to promote a collegial environment where the new residents interact with each other, already established residents, and staff to welcome them to our institution.

• Yearly Resident Appreciation Week offering activities and events that highlight our appreciation and recognition for their contribution not only to our institution, but also to those we serve.

• Doctor’s Day events hosted by the Education Center for all programs in Cleveland Clinic to attend and participate. 

• Periodic staff/resident luncheon events designed to promote interaction in a fun and non-stressful environment.

• Applicant Dinner events during the fall/winter in local upscale restaurants where not only the residents, but also the staff interact with our applicants to showcase the close working relationship our staff enjoys with our residents

• Periodic Program Director meetings with the residents designed at least in part for residents to vent any frustrations or concerns they may have with the program or institution.

• Lectures on resident well-being and fatigue mitigation strategies as part of our Academic Lecture Series.

• Resident of the Year Awards voted on by the staff and presented at graduation ceremonies recognizing, among other things, those residents who have overcome significant personal, cultural, and professional obstacles in order to excel.

• The Cleveland Clinic Learning Center offers residents educational modules on Safety, Communication, Fatigue Mitigation, Chemical Dependency, Disruptive Behavior, Sexual Misconduct, Diversity and Inclusion, our Culture of Safety, Physician Impairment, Fire Prevention, Crime Prevention, Infection Prevention, Health Services, Radiation Safety, MRI Safety, Back Safety, Diversity and Inclusion, Fluoroscopy & Radiation Protection, MRI Safety, HIPAA, Patient Safety, Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Protection, TB Exposure Prevention, Professionalism and self-assessment.

• On-Line Resources listed on the Graduate Medical Education Program Manual are designed to promote wellness and prevent burnout.

Staff

David Friedman, MD

Section Head

Martin Newman, MD

Department Chair

Andres Mascaro Pankova, MD

Staff

Current Residents

Class of 2025

Mayo Hotta, MD
Kaiser Permanente

Francisco Ferri, MD
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Class of 2026

Nicholas De Leo, MD
Cooper University Hospital

Lindsey Foran, DO
St. Joseph's University Medical Center

Class of 2027

Brian Chen, MD
Alleghany Health Network

Sean Park, MD
Michigan State University/Sparrow Health System

Alumni

Class of 2024

John Andre, MD
Munir Patel, MD

Class of 2023

Vitali Azouz, MD
Fadi Bakhos, MD

Class of 2022

Savannah Moon, DO
Stephanie Scurci, MD

Class of 2021

Casey Holmes, MD
Alfredo Lloreda, MD

Class of 2020

Craig Forleiter, MD
Jonathan Sarik, MD

Class of 2019

Jonathan Cook, MD
Aniket Sakharpe, MD

Class of 2018

Stephanie Koonce, MD
Daniel Park, MD

Class of 2017

Nidia DeJesus, MD
Alexander Zuriarrain, MD

Class of 2016

Brian Boland, MD
Nathan Eberle, MD

Class of 2015

Yin Kan Hwee, MD
Jeffrey Lind II, MD

Class of 2014

Kiranjeet Gill, MD
Pedro Vieira, MD

Class of 2012

Megan Jack, MD
Jeremy White, MD

Class of 2011

Louis Brunworth, MD
Enrique Hanabergh, MD

Class of 2010

Kristen Rezak, MD
Joseph Tamburrino, MD

Class of 2009

Marcelo Ghersi, MD
Brian Olack, MD

Class of 2008

Christopher Khorsandi, MD
Benny Tan, MD

Class of 2006

Louis Potyondy, MD
Jeffrey Umansky, MD

Research

Peer Reviewed Publications of our Current and Past Fellows & Faculty

2020-04. Cook J, Holmes CJ, Wixtrom R, Newman MI, Pozner J. Characterizing the Microbiome of the Contracted Breast Capsule Using Next Generation  Sequencing. Aesthetic Surg J. April 2020. doi:10.1093/asj/sjaa097

2020-03. Mirhaidari SJ, Azouz V, Wagner DS. Prepectoral Versus Subpectoral Direct to Implant Immediate Breast Reconstruction. Ann Plast Surg. 2020 Mar;84(3):263-270. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000002059. PMID: 31663934.

2020-03. Bronstein JA, Bruce WJ, Bakhos F, Ishaq D, Joyce CJ, Cimino V. Surgical Approach to Orbital Floor Fractures: Comparing Complication Rates Between Subciliary and Subconjunctival Approaches. Craniomaxillofac Trauma Reconstr. 2020 Mar;13(1):45-48. doi: 10.1177/1943387520904893. Epub 2020 Mar 16. PMID: 32642031; PMCID: PMC7311850.

2020-03. Azouz V, Ng M, Patel N, Murthy AS. Low incidence of maxillary hypoplasia in isolated cleft palate. Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg. 2020 Mar 20;42(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s40902-020-00252-9. PMID: 32206667; PMCID: PMC7083977.

2020-01. Sakharpe AK, Cook J, Newman MI, Barnavon Y. The muscle sparing latissimus dorsi (MSLD) flap for secondary breast reconstruction  based on reverse flow from intercostal vessels. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2020;73(1):184-199. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2020.01.001

2020 – 11. Ferri F, Forleiter CM, Montorfano L, Konstantinidis M, Borghei-Razavi H, Mascaro-Pankova A. Peripheral Neurectomy for Management of Trigeminal Neuralgia Refractory to Multiple  Surgical Procedures. Plast Reconstr surgery Glob open. 2020;8(11):e3264. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000003264

2020 – 10. Koonce SL, Sarik JR, Forleiter CM, Newman MI. A classification system and treatment algorithm for mastectomy flap ischemia in  alloplastic breast reconstruction. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2020;73(10):1854-1861. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2020.05.05

2020 – 07. Smith BM, Azouz V, Liu L, Williams G. Parotid adenocarcinoma metastasis to the breast: a case report. J Surg Case Rep. 2020 Jul 2;2020(6):rjaa163. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjaa163. PMID: 32665831; PMCID: PMC7332223.

2019-09. Kichler K, Williams E, Zajac P, de la Cruz L, Scurci S, Kaza S. Utilization of Indocyanine Fluorescence in Esophageal Cancer Surgery. Am Surg. 2019 Sep 1;85(9):e444-e445. PMID: 31638532.

2019-05. Koonce SL, Barnavon Y, Newman MI, Hwee YK. Perfusion Zones of Extended Transverse Skin Paddles in Muscle-Sparing Latissimus  Dorsi Myocutaneous Flaps for Breast Reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2019;143(5):920e-926e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000005520

2019-04. Cook J, Waughtel J, Andreoni AR, Sakharpe A, Friedman DW. Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum for Dupuytren’s Contracture: Comparing Single and Concurrent Injections. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2019;143(4):782e-787e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000005443

2019-04. Azouz V, Fahmy JN, Kornbau C, Petrinec D. Recurrent pseudoaneurysm after carotid endarterectomy. J Vasc Surg Cases Innov Tech. 2019 Apr 28;5(2):128-131. doi: 10.1016/j.jvscit.2018.12.010. PMID: 31193455; PMCID: PMC6529684.

2018-12. Bauermeister AJ, Gill K, Zuriarrain A, Earle SA, Newman MI. "Reduction mammaplasty with superomedial pedicle technique: A literature review and retrospective analysis of 938 consecutive breast reductions". J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2019 Mar;72(3):410-418. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2018.12.004. Epub 2018 Dec 14. PMID: 30579911.

2018-11. Azouz V, Hill S, Firstenberg M. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Extreme Obesity: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Heart Surg Forum. 2018 Nov 30;21(6):E485-E488. doi: 10.1532/hsf.2057. PMID: 30604673.

2018-06. Koonce SL, Grant DG, Cook J, Stelnicki EJ. Autologous Fat Grafting in the Treatment of Cleft Lip Volume Asymmetry. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 Jun;80(6S Suppl 6):S352-S355. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000001348. PMID: 29401128.

2018-05. Azouz V, Mirhaidari S, Wagner DS. Defining Infection in Breast Reconstruction: A Literature Review. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 May;80(5):587-591. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000001336. PMID: 29401132.

2018-03. Ochoa O, Azouz V, Santillan A, Pisano S, Chrysopoulo M, Ledoux P, Arishita G, Ketchum N, Michalek JE, Nastala C. Internal Mammary Lymph Node Biopsy During Free-Flap Breast Reconstruction: Optimizing Adjuvant Breast Cancer Treatment Through Comprehensive Staging. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018 May;25(5):1322-1328. doi: 10.1245/s10434-018-6352-6. Epub 2018 Mar 1. PMID: 29497911.

2018-03. Azouz V, Lopez S, Wagner DS. Surgeon-Controlled Comparison of Direct-to-Implant and 2-Stage Tissue Expander-Implant Immediate Breast Reconstruction Outcomes. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 Mar;80(3):212-216. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000001220. PMID: 28984661.

2017-11. Roy M, Sasson M, Rosales-Velderrain A, Moon S, Grove M, King T. Pharmacomechanical Thrombolysis for Deep Vein Thrombosis in May-Thurner Syndrome. Innovations (Phila). 2017 Nov/Dec;12(6):466-471. doi: 10.1097/IMI.0000000000000408. PMID: 29049090.

2017-08. Buicko JL, Kichler KM, Amundson JR, Scurci S, Kozol RA. The Sestamibi Paradox: Improving Intraoperative Localization of Parathyroid Adenomas. Am Surg. 2017 Aug 1;83(8):832-835. doi: 10.1177/000313481708300831. PMID: 28822386.

2017-06. Cook J, Waughtel J, Brooks C, Hardin D, Hwee YK, Barnavon Y. The Muscle-Sparing Latissimus Dorsi Flap for Breast Reconstruction: A Retrospective Review of 126 Consecutive Flaps. Ann Plast Surg. 2017 Jun;78(6S Suppl 5):S263-S268. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000001036. PMID: 28525414.