The Residency Training Program in Plastic Surgery is now a six-year intregrated program that has two residents per year.  Qualified medical student applicants should apply to a residency possition through the National Residency Matching Program.

Members of the faculty in the Division are responsible for the overall functions of the program, with particular emphasis placed on the following aspects of Plastic Surgery.

The faculty consists of staff surgeons based at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Harrisburg Hospital.  The residents undertake progressive responsibilities as their experience in surgery grows.  The residents collaborate with the staff in structuring the various conferences to provide a broad based didactic experience.  A monthly Journal Club and bimonthly hand conferences in conjunction with the Department of Orthopaedics provide opportunities to share and discuss information.  A weekly didactic conference is used to cover a prescribed course of material within the field of plastic surgery using the Corequest outline of the American Association of Chairmen in Plastic Surgery.  A weekly pre-operative evaluation conference attended by all of the faculty and residents is utilized to familiarize everyone with patients who will be operated upon and to ensure that the maximum amount of educational value is derived from the available clinical material.  Residents and staff in the Section also participate in Surgical Grand Rounds, as well as other major interdisciplinary conferences.  There are special clinics for children with craniofacial deformities and children with vascular malformations. We treat high volumes of cleft lip and palate patients through the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic.

Those in training are encouraged to write and submit papers for publication.  Attendance at national meetings and teaching symposia on plastic surgery is sponsored by the Section.

Plastic Surgery provides an integral part of the core curriculum during the third-year surgical clerkship.  Students are instructed in suturing techniques in a unique laboratory session conducted by plastic surgery staff and residents.  Elective experience in clinical plastic surgery is offered during the fourth year, and medical students in all years are encouraged to participate in the many research projects ongoing in the Section.  A microvascular laboratory is also available for the training and instruction of students and residents.