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In This Issue:
Overseeing the Largest Plastic Surgery Residency Program in the Country
Two years ago this month, The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island took the lives of hundreds and left many others injured. Plastic surgeons have been vital in the recovery not only of these burn patients, but others suffering significant injuries or conditions. Treatment by a talented reconstructive surgeon is often critical to these patients’ physical and emotional well being.
One such gifted plastic surgeon—Julian Pribaz, MD—came to BWH 18 years ago after he spent five years practicing in Melbourne, Australia, performing a broad spectrum of surgical procedures. His forte is complex reconstruction—a need for many patients referred to BWH.
“People from all over the world come here,” he said. The complex surgeries Pribaz typically performs include head and neck defects produced by tumor or malformation excisions that require microsurgical reconstructions. “Sometimes we need to prefabricate or tissue-engineer facial parts using tissue from other parts of the body and then transfer them to the face to achieve our reconstructive goals,” he added.
Never a dull moment for Pribaz, he is also the residency program director for the combined Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency Program, which happens to be the largest plastic surgery residency program in the country. “BWH, MGH and Beth Israel all had plastic surgery residency programs, which have been combined,” said Pribaz, who oversees the program.
According to Pribaz, the realm of the field is expanding. “The volume and spectrum of pathology that we have to deal with in the Harvard system provides a comprehensive experience for the residents, including every aspect of the field,” he added.
Pribaz said the best part of his job is the variety. “It is great to have a highly challenging professional environment. Working with young surgical trainees, who continually want to learn, definitely keeps me on my toes,” he added.