UPMC Body Contouring Fellowship Program Grant

The UPMC Body Contouring Fellowship Program addresses the increasing need for body contouring post-bariatric surgery, a growing field in plastic surgery. This one-year clinical fellowship offers comprehensive mentorship in preoperative evaluation, treatment planning, and postoperative management for patients experiencing skin laxity after significant weight loss. Trainees will engage with an interdisciplinary weight loss team and gain hands-on experience through weekly outpatient clinics and formal conferences, preparing them for advanced practice in this vital area of healthcare.

Obesity has become a major chronic health problem in this country, and is second only to tobacco as a cause of premature death. Bariatric surgery has evolved as an effective treatment for morbid obesity, inducing rapid and predictable weight loss within a period of 12 to 18 months following surgery.
The dramatic increase in volume of bariatric surgery procedures in the United States has resulted in a large number of patients with secondary deformities of hanging skin after massive weight loss. Consequently, body contouring after weight loss is emerging as the fastest growing field of plastic surgery.
Patients seek consultation with a plastic surgeon to correct skin laxity of the abdomen, thighs, chest, back, and neck, and often undergo multiple procedures involving lengthy incisions. The Life After Weight Loss program at the University of Pittsburgh is a unique clinical center dedicated to meeting the body contouring needs of the massive weight loss patient.
Duration and Scope
Length of educational program is 1 year clinical with research opportunities
Description of Fellowship
In-depth and comprehensive "mentorship" experience with the preoperative evaluation, treatment planning, operative treatment, and postoperative management of patients with breast and body contour deformities.Full day a week involvement with a interdisciplinary weight loss team, with formal exposure to team members and their respective roles.Weekly outpatient clinic experience in the preoperative evaluation and postoperative management of breast and body contour patients.Formal weekly conference to review assigned readings in core curriculum topics relating to plastic surgery topics.

Eligibility

Admission open to those satisfactorily completing an accredited plastic surgery residency program or other appropriately qualified surgeons.