Plastic Surgery Residency Program
Welcome to the Plastic Surgery Residency Program at the University of Alberta.
2:1
HIGH FACULTY TO RESIDENT RATIO
Unmatched
AMOUNT OF SURGICAL EXPOSURE, STARTING IN PGY-1
all
MAJOR AREAS OF PLASTIC SURGERY COVERED IN OUR PROGRAM BY FELLOWSHIP TRAINED SURGEONS
Interview/CaRMS Specific Information
The Plastic Surgery match at the University of Alberta is processed through CaRMS. Please see the CaRMS website at http://www.carms.ca for detailed program information, and a description of the requirements for applying to our residency program.
Program will notify all applicants through CaRMS Online and will send email invitations directly to applicants selected for an interview.
Contact Us
Plastic Surgery Residency Program
University of Alberta
Office of Surgical Education
2D2.01 WMC, 8440 - 112 St NW
Edmonton AB T6G 2B7
Asha Belisle
Program Administrator
780-407-8470
psurgpg@ualberta.ca
Dr. Jay Zhu
Program Director
Dr. Curtis Budden
Assistant Program Director
Welcome to Our Program!
In Plastic Surgery, more than any other specialty in medicine, do form and function intertwine – from the artistry involved in reconstructing a soft and natural breast post-mastectomy, to rigidly fixating the craniofacial skeleton following a facial smash, the principles of Plastic Surgery pervade. The ideal candidate for a residency position in Plastic Surgery at the University of Alberta is hard working, self-motivated, and a team player. He or she is able to take direction and prior experiences and synthesize treatment plans and perform surgical procedures. Teaching should be an interest, as should the desire to care for patients in the most effective way possible. Research is strongly encouraged, and some of our residents have enjoyed and successfully completed extra training in conjunction with the Clinician Investigator/Surgeon Scientist Program.
Plastic Surgery training in Edmonton is amongst the best in the country. The Alberta Program has a strong commitment to training and educating future leaders in the field. Plastic Surgery in Edmonton is a very busy, active clinical program – currently there are 12 residents. Ample operative experience (residents are commonly first assist in the operating room even in their R1 year!) allows the resident to become fully competent in all major procedures required in Plastic Surgery. Graduates from our program are comfortable practicing in many areas, even fresh out of residency or fellowship.
Residents at the University of Alberta work closely with the Attending Plastic Surgeons. Schedules are based on specific Preceptor-Based Rotations that allow the resident to focus on certain sub-specialties in Plastic Surgery, and consistently work with the same surgeons. Not only does this foster a closer working relationship between staff and resident, but also allows staff to evaluate the resident more accurately, and to ensure they are getting the necessary exposure needed to be competent and technically proficient Plastic Surgeons.
Dr. Jay Zhu
Our Program
The Residency Program in Plastic Surgery at the University of Alberta is five years in length and starts in the Surgical Foundations Program. The hospitals associated with the program treat a broad spectrum of plastic surgery patients including large volumes of general trauma, acute and reconstructive hand surgery, burn surgery and virtually all aspects of facial trauma. Acute and reconstructive microsurgical experience is offered at the University and Royal Alexandra Hospitals. High intensity plastic surgical cases are centered primarily at the University of Alberta Hospital, and to some extent, also at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. The vast majority of low intensity inpatient and outpatient elective plastic surgery in the City is done at the Misericordia Hospital, on a daily basis.
International and interprovincial electives are possible, at the discretion of the Program Director
There are no mandatory rural rotations
All major areas of plastic surgery are well covered by Fellowship trained surgeons
Established outpatient clinics in brachial plexus and congenital hand clinic, hand surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, general plastic surgery, and burn surgery are available for resident participation and teaching purposes
The iRSM Unit at the Misericordia Hospital offers experience in the use of osseointegrated implants and maxillofacial prosthetics
Residency at a Glance
Learn about each year of the program with an overview of each year.
The Surgical Foundations year consists of the following rotations:
- 6 blocks of Plastic Surgery
- 1 block of Emergency Medicine
- 2 blocks of General Surgery
- 1 block of Pediatric General Surgery
- 1 block of Internal Medicine
- 1 block of Orthopedic Surgery
- 4 Weeks vacation
- 6 blocks Plastic Surgery
- 2 blocks of Intensive Care Unit
- 1 block Otolaryngology
- 1 block or Orthopedic Surgery
- 1 block Dermatology
- 1 block of Selective
Residents will gain exposure to the following areas:
- Burn Unit
- Pediatric Plastic Surgery
- Breast Reconstruction
- General Plastic Surgery
- Craniofacial
- Hand & Wrist
- Microsurgery
- Cosmetic
The fifth year of Plastic Surgery is considered the Lead Resident year and is a crucial step in transforming the resident into a competent staff physician ready to qualify for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada exams in Plastic Surgery. The Lead Resident will have rotations at both the Royal Alexandra Hospital as well as the University of Alberta Hospital. They are not preceptor based but rather run a service at one of the two respective hospital sites. They are given increasing amounts of responsibility both with clinical management of patients, teaching and administration of resident staff.
On call responsibilities are on a “second on-call” basis. The last three months of the PGY-5 year are designated as a period to gain exposure to Cosmetic Surgery at the privately owned Plastic and Cosmetic Laser Surgical Centre, as well as at the hospital and as a period of study for the Royal College exams that occur at the end of this block of time.
Teaching Hospitals
University of Alberta Hospital
Misericordia Community Hospital
University of Alberta Anatomic Laboratory
Program Supports
- Mentorship program
- Academic Advisors
- Dedicated Faculty
- Approachable and accessible Program Director and Assistant Program Director
- Residency Program Committee
Subspecialties
- Hand and Wrist Surgery
- Pediatric Plastic Surgery
- Microsurgery and Flap Reconstruction, including that for cancers and breast reconstruction
- Cosmetic Surgery
- Oculoplastic Surgery and Lid Reconstruction
- Craniofacial and Traumatic Facial Reconstruction
- Autologous and Prosthetic Bone-Anchored Ear Reconstruction
- Burns and Burn Reconstruction
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery and Reconstruction
- Trunk and Vaginal/Perineal Reconstruction
- Body Contouring After Massive Weight Loss
- General Plastic Surgery
Frequently Asked Questions
Plastic Surgery cases range in variety from pediatric reconstructive procedures to cranial- facial, peripheral nerve, microsurgery, wrist reconstruction, cancer reconstruction, burn reconstruction, and cosmetic surgery.
Resident Testimonials
What are the highlights of the program for you? Personally, I feel there are many highlights, it's challenging to pick just one... so I didn't.
1) Clinical: Despite being a relatively small program, our volume of cases is massive. This ensures residents are exposed to a huge array of cases and begin operating early on in residency. We have leading experts in Craniofacial, Hand, Pediatrics, Burn, Peripheral Nerve, etc which lends itself to excellent hands-on teaching.
2) Residency group: As a smaller program, our residency group is remarkably close. Each member of the team recognizes how hard each other works and therefore everyone is always helping to support one-another. This sentiment is true amongst staff as well, who can often be found either in the resident room chatting, teaching or joking around with residents, or at events outside of the hospital engaging with the group. Though we are a very hardworking group, working with a group of friends makes the grind that much more enjoyable!
What do you like about Edmonton? Having been born in southern Alberta, I grew up as a strong supporter of Calgary in the Calgary vs. Edmonton rivalry. That being said, after moving to Edmonton for Medical School, I gained a new level of respect for this city. People will tell you the winters are long; and that is true. What is also true, however, is how the community embraces the winter including different events, festivals, cross-country ski tracks, and dozens of outdoor rinks. Together, this makes the winter that much more enjoyable. Where Edmonton really shines though is the summer. The days are very long and the nights stay much warmer compared to southern Alberta. Nearly every weekend there is a new festival in Edmonton which allows you to continuously explore the city. There is also a ton of activities to engage with including hundreds to kilometers of mountain and road biking routes, floating the river, and loads of parks and green space to name a few.
What's one piece of advice you want to share with applicants about the interview process? Regardless of where you end up training in Canada, all of the programs are very strong and will support you in becoming an excellent surgeon. Residency is challenging, however. You want to be able to find a program that fits your personality and goals as best as possible. As such, be your genuine self during the interview. This will allow you to be comfortable and confident, while also allowing yourself to assess how you would fit into a program!
– Shawn (PGY-4)
What are the highlights of the program for you? The resident group. Very cohesive. Everyone is willing to sacrifice their own time to help each other out.
What do you like about Edmonton? The River Valley. Amazing in the summer for walks and running.
What's one piece of advice you want to share with applicants about the interview process? Practice as much as you can.
– Weber Lin (PGY-3)
What are the highlights of the program for you? High volume, broad exposure and great staff to work with.
What do you like about Edmonton? Beautiful river valley, great places to eat, lots of activities.
What's one piece of advice you want to share with applicants about the interview process? Always stay keen and positive. Remember why you wanted to do this in the first place and hold onto that.