Independent residency
Our independent residency is a three-year, fully accredited residency program. Prospective candidates must meet the program’s prerequisite requirements as set forth by the American Board of Plastic Surgery:
- General surgery pathway: completion of five progressive years of clinical training in general surgery sufficient to qualify for certification by the America Board of Surgery .
- Alternate pathway: prerequisite training in other board-approved specialties such as neurological surgery, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology, thoracic and cardiac surgery, or urology.
For a complete list of pathways and requirements, please refer to American Board of Plastic Surgery.
The training program is three consecutive years of which the last 12 months are spent as the chief resident. The curriculum is sequenced so that all topics of the plastic surgery core curriculum, as described in the comprehensive plastic surgery curriculum, are presented in that three-year cycle. One resident is accepted into the program annually for a total of three residents in the program at any one time. The resident position is only available through the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Match Program.
Applicants must submit all completed materials via SF Match no later than December 31. Applications received after that date will not be accepted. Please do not fax, e-mail, or mail application materials unless specifically requested to do so. Unless specifically requested by the program, any materials received outside of SF Match will not be considered.
- All applications must be submitted via SF Match
- Three letters of recommendation: one from a program director or division chief, plus two additional professional letters of reference
- Successful completion of ACGME accredited five-year general surgery residency program*
- Clinical experience in the United States
- Letter of confirmation of prerequisite training provided by American Board of Plastic Surgery
- USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores of no less than 230 on first attempt
- USMLE Step 3 (required prior to match)
- ECFMG certificate required for all international medical graduates
With regard to single accreditation, osteopathic candidates must complete post-graduate years 3-5 of their training in an ACGME accredited general surgery residency.
*Candidate who successfully matches to the program will be expected to pass their general surgery boards (oral and written) by the completion of their first year.
All applications are reviewed by the program director and selections for interview are made by early January. If your application is chosen for interview, you will be contacted by the program coordinator via email to schedule your interview. Interview dates are scheduled in early to mid-March.
All interviews are conducted via Zoom and scheduled for a half-day session (a.m. or p.m.). Interview date availability fills on a first-come, first-served basis. Interviewed applicants will be evaluated by the plastic surgery program faculty, ranked and submitted to the SF Match by the required submission date.
Start date for residency is July 1 of the match year.
- Medical students: The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine posts senior/final level of medical school elective opportunities in the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities program application service.
- Independent program requests: All requests must be submitted with no less than three months prior to the requested time to the program coordinator.
- All elective rotation requests are handled on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. Requesting residents and students are responsible for their own travel expenses, meals, housing, licensing, etc. Resident rotators from other institutions will require a program letter of agreement.