Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Program

Integrated Program Overview

The MUSC Plastic Surgery Residency Program provides comprehensive training in all aspects of the specialty. One six-year residency position is available each year. In addition, a three-year fellowship is run alongside the residency, for a total of 9 trainees. 

The Division of Plastic Surgery performs more than 600 inpatient and 1,400 outpatient cases per year. Residents rotate through a variety of clinical settings in five hospitals, including both academic and private practice environments.  Five core faculty and several community physicians provide comprehensive training throughout all years of training. 

All major aspects of the specialty are emphasized, including but not limited to the following:

• Breast Reconstruction
• Hand Surgery
• Craniofacial Surgery
• Body Contouring
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Maxillofacial Trauma
• Oncologic Reconstruction
• Trauma Reconstruction
• Cutaneous Malignancies

In addition, residents receive training in the following surgical specialty areas:

• Trauma Surgery
• Transplant Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• ENT Surgery
• Dermatologic Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery
• Oral Maxilla Facial Surgery
• Surgical Critical Care
• Surgical Oncology
• Gastroenterology Surgery
• Vascular Surgery

Educational Leadership

• M. Lance Tavana, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Plastic Surgery, Program Director, Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Program

Clinical Experience

Through cooperation of the Medical University of South Carolina administration, full-time, part-time and volunteer faculty, the MUSC Plastic Surgery Residency offers a broad-based experience in plastic surgery with exceptional strengths in micro-vascular free tissue transfer, hand surgery, aesthetic surgery and procedures, and reconstructive breast surgery.

The program is fully accredited by the ACGME and was granted continuing accreditation through 2025.

The resident rotations are divided into the following six services:

• MUSC 1: Dr. Armstrong (Hand, General Reconstructive, Aesthetic, Lower Extremity Reconstruction, Ortho, Oncology,VA)
• MUSC 2: Dr. Delaney (Breast Reconstruction, Hand General Reconstruction, Aesthetic)
• MUSC 3: Dr. Herrera (VA, Hand, General Reconstruction, Lower Extremity Reconstruction)
• MUSC 4: Dr. Tavana (VA, Hand, General Reconstruction, Urology Reconstruction)
• MUSC 5: Dr. Scomacao (MUSC) (Craniomaxillofacial, Breast General Reconstruction, Hand, Aesthetic)
• MUSC 6: Drs. Hochman (The Facial Surgery Center),  O’Neill (O’Neill Plastic Surgery), Ulm (Crantford Costa Plastic Surgery), and Young (Palmetto Plastic Surgery)
• MUSC 7 : Dr. Gabriel Klein  (Microsurgery, Breast Reconstruction, Maxillofacial Trauma, General/Aesthetic Surgery)

Conferences

Plastic surgery residents participate in two weekly conferences and a monthly journal club, and attend two major regional or national meetings each year.

Duty Hours

Residents take home call and alternate with other services and regards to hand call, and facial trauma call.

Research

Residents are expected to participate in research projects within the Division of Plastic Surgery and will submit at least one paper annually to a peer-reviewed journal. 

Educational Activities

Plastic surgery residents participate in two weekly conferences and a monthly journal club, and attend two major regional or national meetings each year. 

How to Apply

The MUSC Residency in Plastic Surgery is an integrated program that accepts one medical students through the NRMP. We accept applications through PSCA only. Please refer to the PSCA website and your dean’s office to complete your application to the program.

No supplementary materials outside PSCA are required.

Applications will be reviewed and the interview date will be scheduled around mid-January each year. Each candidate will have personal interviews with the attendings and a chance to speak more informally with residents. On the night before the interview, an informal social event will be held for applicants and residents.

Contact Information

Stephanie Mackey, Program Coordinator: phone: 843-792-2098; email: mackeys@musc.edu

Stipend and Benefits

Policy: The following resident stipends are set for academic year July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025 and apply to all full-time, ACGME/ADA, medical/dental, specialty/sub-specialty residents contracted through the GME Office. Stipends will be reevaluated in the fall of each year. All residents will be notified if there are changes to the established stipend levels. 

• PGY1: $61,010
• PGY2: $63,101
• PGY3: $65,351
• PGY4: $68,145
• PGY5: $71,081
• PGY6: $73,780
• PGY7: $76,853
• PGY8: $81,098

Benefits include:

• Annual, Sick, Maternity/Paternity, Bereavement, Leave of Absence, Military
• Insurance Coverage: Health, Life, Flexible Spending, Travel, Disability, Professional Liability
• Retirement
• Parking
• In-House On-Call Meals
• Employee Health
• MUSC Wellness Center Membership
• Lab Coats
• Student Loan Payment Postponement
• Travel Allotment
• MUSC Provided Mobile Devices

Meet Our Residents

Our Recent Plastic Independent and Integrated Surgery Graduates

2023-2024

Donna Mullner, MD - Hand Fellowship at the University of Kentucky in Lexington

2022-2023

Sami Tarabishy, MD - Aesthetic Plastic Surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

2021-2022

Georgina Nichols, MD - Aesthetic Plastic Surgery fellowship, The Plastic Surgery Center-Sacramento, CA.

Kiandra Scott, MD - Plastic surgeon at Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia, SC.

2020-2021

Steven Hermiz, MD is a plastic surgeon at Covenant Healthcare in Saginaw, Michigan.

Busayo Irojah, MD is a plastic surgeon at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, PA.

2019-2020

Daniel Crane, M.D. is attending a one-year fellowship in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Sacramento California.

Zachary Young, M.D. joined a private practice in Little Rock, Arkansas.

2018-2019

Craig Moores, M.D.  attended Yale University for Hand Surgery Fellowship.

John Simon, M.D. Ivey Simon is a plastic surgeon at Ivey Plastic Surgery in Kihei, Hawaii.  

2016-2017

Vinay Gundlapalli, M.D., Private Practice, Vineland, NJ.

Robinder Singh, M.D., Private Practice, Great Neck, NY.

2015-2016

Tahira Prendergast, M.D., Private Practice, Columbus, GA.

Jennifer Dixon Swartz, M.D., Private Practice, Charleston, SC.