an unconventional focus.

According to the 2017 NRMP match statistics, of the 28,849 open residency positions, only 159 were offered for integrated plastic surgery (0.55%). There were 446 applicants for this uber-competitive specialty, meaning a match rate of 36% (about one-third) for those who applied. Only 9 of the 159 positions (5.7%) were filled by individuals who were not seniors in U.S Medical schools, such as myself. If you consider all 54,110 individuals applying for a PGY-1 position, I had a 0.017% chance of matching into this field from a purely statistical standpoint.. but obviously there’s more to the story. The term “Plastic Surgery” is often used synonymously and erroneously with the term “Cosmetic Surgery,” characterized in the media as a specialization dedicated to elective procedures like the Brazilian butt lift and breast augmentation. The term “plastic surgery” is derived from the Greek “Plastikos,” meaning to mold or to shape. While our specialty does offer various cosmetic procedure...

As evidenced by my 2 blog posts over the past 4 years, I've been anything but a prolific blogger. I've always been reluctant to blog - mostly because of fear.. but let me explain. Anything one post on the internet will be tied to that individual for eternity.. I don't know about you, but that scares the bergeesus out of me. With the emergence of social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, the microscope by which others judge our words has become increasingly magnified and reactionary. If you don't know what I'm talking about, just look at what happened to Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall in reaction to his Twitter comments after killing of Osama Bin Laden . While Rashard's comments might cost him a few million dollars here and there in endorsements and the like, it's not necessarily going to jeopardize his career as an elite NFL running back - he's not paid for his thoughts, he's paid to move the rock. As for an emerging physicia...