The Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery course provides clinical-phase medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles, techniques, and clinical applications of modern reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. The course emphasizes the restoration of form and function in patients with congenital deformities, traumatic injuries, burns, infections, oncologic defects, and soft-tissue loss. Through a structured blend of theoretical teaching, clinical exposure, and operative observation, students develop the foundational skills necessary to evaluate and manage a wide spectrum of plastic surgery conditions.
The curriculum introduces students to the essential sciences underlying plastic surgery, including wound healing biology, skin anatomy, flap physiology, and the biomechanics of soft-tissue movement. Students learn the concepts of the reconstructive ladder and elevator, grafting and flap design, tissue expansion, and microsurgical reconstruction. Clinical modules guide students through evidence-based approaches to assessing tissue defects, planning appropriate coverage, interpreting imaging, and identifying the operative or non-operative techniques best suited to each clinical scenario.
Reconstructive surgery is a major focus of the training, covering head and neck defects, post-oncologic reconstruction, breast reconstruction, limb salvage, pressure sore repair, and the management of complex soft-tissue injuries. Students are introduced to microsurgical principles such as vessel and nerve anastomosis, free-flap transfer, and limb replantation, with opportunities to observe specialized procedures in the operating room.
The burn surgery section equips students with the knowledge required to evaluate burn depth, calculate total body surface area, perform initial fluid resuscitation, and understand the surgical management of acute and chronic burn injuries. Students observe excision and grafting procedures, scar release surgeries, and reconstructive strategies for functional restoration in burn survivors.
Hand surgery modules cover the detailed anatomy, biomechanics, and pathology of the upper extremity. Students learn to evaluate tendon injuries, nerve damage, fractures, infections, and congenital deformities while developing essential examination skills. Practical sessions introduce key clinical competencies such as wound assessment, dressing techniques, suturing, graft handling, local anesthesia administration, and the principles of postoperative care and rehabilitation.
The course also provides an academic introduction to aesthetic surgery—not for hands-on practice but to ensure students understand the principles behind common cosmetic procedures including rhinoplasty, breast procedures, liposuction, and minimally invasive aesthetic treatments. Ethical considerations, patient counseling, and safe practice standards are highlighted throughout.
By the end of the course, students are expected to demonstrate strong clinical reasoning in evaluating soft-tissue injuries and deformities, identifying reconstructive priorities, understanding operative options, and recognizing surgical emergencies such as compartment syndrome, flap failure, and deep burns. The course equips students with a solid foundation upon which to build further surgical training and prepares them to manage basic plastic-surgery-related conditions in general medical practice.
