Under the auspices of the Educational and Research Foundation for the AAFPRS Fellowship Programs provide postgraduate training in facial plastic surgery.
Click below to download:
Fellowship Handbook (to view all requirements of the Fellowship Program)
Fellowship Descriptions Handbook (to view a complete list of available Fellowship Programs)
Program Objectives
- Provide an outstanding academic opportunity for the acquisition of specialized knowledge and skills in facial plastic surgery
- Develop trained specialists who will contribute to the ongoing development of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Foster development of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery educators, especially in residency programs
- Encourage the development of new skills and knowledge in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery through basic research and clinical trials
Fellowship directors are recognized authorities in the teaching and practice of facial plastic surgery. They are private practitioners, academicians, or a combination of both. Applicants are encouraged to choose directors whose practice and teaching best supplement their residency training and future practice plans and teaching interests. Although the clinical experience may vary according to individual director’s interest and experience, the fellowship criteria and curriculum, including videotapes, provide a common base for the program.
Applicants apply to programs of their choice. The interview process is from March 1 to May 31. All programs follow a standard curriculum. Oral and written examinations are administered after the completion of a 12-month fellowship.
To be eligible, applicants must have completed a residency in otolaryngology or plastic surgery--which is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or be board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology or the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
For more information regarding programs or program directors, please contact the AAFPRS Foundation Fellowship Program Manager, via email at fellowships@aafprs.org.
Prerequisites for Applying
- Applicants must be a member of the AAFPRS before submitting a fellowship application.
- Applicants must be physicians who are currently in or have completed an otolaryngology or plastic surgery residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or board-certified in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or plastic surgery.
- Applicants should not be full-time faculty members holding the rank of assistant professor or higher at the institution where the fellowship will take place. Applicants with DO degrees may be considered only if they are in an ACGME-accredited residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or plastic surgery.
- Unless a candidate with a DO degree has completed the entirety of their postgraduate training in an ACGME approved residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery or Plastic Surgery they will not be eligible to become certified by the ABFPRS after fellowship training. This is based on ABFPRS by-laws which require completion of an ACGME accredited residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery or Plastic Surgery.
- Applicants with DO degrees that have been accepted into the fellowship program as a fellow will take the final examination administered by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) in order to be eligible to receive a fellowship certificate only. Passing the examination will not of itself meet eligibility requirements for certification in the future by the ABFPRS.
To complete a fellowship application an applicant MUST register to access the application. Click here to register.
Canadian Applicants
Canadian applicants interested in pursuing a U.S. fellowship should check with the directors whose programs interest them to be certain that the fellowship accepts Canadian applicants. Many programs have restrictions which limit the ability to accept Canadian applicants. The proper paperwork should be completed and a Visa must be obtained before the start date of the fellowship.
Canadian applicants must also meet all other requirements for applying to the fellowship program, including accredited by Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and membership in the AAFPRS. It is imperative that these steps are followed prior to requesting access to the application.
To complete a fellowship application an applicant MUST register to access the application. Click here to register.
International Medical Graduates
International Medical Graduates (IMG) who are eligible to pursue an AAFPRS Foundation Fellowship must contact individual fellowship directors for specific requirements to enter their fellowship. Although IMG applicants will complete a fellowship application it will not be used as part of the application process. All other requirements outlined under application process will be required. IMG applicants will not participate in the match conducted by the SF Match Office.
Fellowship Directors are permitted to accept International Medical Graduates for training. If a fellowship director accepts an IMG, the fellowship director must inform the Fellowship Committee of their decision to withdraw from the match that year, as soon as possible, but no later than the Spring Meeting each year.
IMG’s who have completed a 12-month fellowship might not be eligible to sit for the end-fellowship examination administered by the ABFPRS. However, they may be eligible to sit for the IBCFPRS examination. IMGs must review the IBCFPRS application guidelines through the IFFPSS website. At the completion of the fellowship training, an IMG will be awarded an “International Training Certificate”. To complete the fellowship application process the IMG MUST register to complete an application through the database. Click here to register.
Although IMG applicants complete the application through the fellowship database they will not participate in the Fellowship match process.