Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Utah.
The plastic surgery residency at the University of Utah conforms to the guidelines set forth by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
If you are interested in the integrated six year residency, please apply through ERAS. Matching will be done through NRMP. Interviews are held in December and January.
Integrated residents will have a broad training in plastic surgery, general surgery, ENT, orthopedics, ophthalmology, dermatology, burn surgery, and others during their first three years. The clinical rotations during the last three years of training cover four hospitals. The University of Utah Medical Center is the primary teaching institution with approximately 24 months of the three years spent there. Primary Children's Hospital is the only comprehensive children's hospital in the Intermountain West. This rotation encompasses approximately six months of the total residency. The Veterans Administration Medical Center is the regional referral center for the VA medical system and also encompasses six months of clinical work.
Our group also covers the plastic surgery service at Shriner’s Hospital. Each of these sites are located on or very near the main training campus. The University of Utah Medical Center and Primary Children's Hospital are the regional referral centers for adult and pediatric medical care respectively. The entire range of plastic surgical procedures is provided by these institutions. In addition, outpatient surgical center on the campus of the University of Utah provides a surgical facility very well suited to cosmetic procedures and other outpatient surgeries.
As the VA Medical Center is the regional referral center for the VA medical system, a wide spectrum of hand and reconstructive procedures are available including head and neck cancers. A full microsurgery training facility exists on site in conjunction with the Division of Plastic Surgery. Opportunities for plastic surgery, hand, and craniofacial research are available. Lab space is part of the greater Department of Surgery Labs.
The teaching program is centered at the University of Utah and is coordinated by the full time faculty. Faculty at Primary Children's and the VA Medical Center add variety and a different perspective to the resident teaching. Weekly conferences consist of grand rounds (including local and national speakers), resident didactic conference covering the main topics in plastic surgery, case conference discussing the weeks interesting cases, hand conference, and a general review conference oriented towards studying for the in-service test and board examinations.
In the last few years, about half of our residents have gone on to sub-specialty fellowships in hand, microsurgery, or craniofacial surgery. After completing their training, our residents and fellows have pursued employment in both private practice and academic settings.
The regional area is one of the most beautiful in the country. Situated at 5,000 feet elevation, the medical center is at the base of the Wasatch Mountains. While providing a wide variety of biking and hiking trails in the summer, the mountains provide unparalleled skiing in the winter. While outdoor activities are very popular, a wide variety of cultural and artistic activities are also available. Salt Lake City presents a very enjoyable living environment.
We feel that we have an excellent, dynamic training program set in one of the most beautiful and livable areas of the country. We welcome your application to become part of our program.
Sincerely yours,
Jay Agarwal, MD
Professor of Surgery
Chief, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery