University of Colorado Program

Program Identity & Fit

The University of Colorado Plastic Surgery program is a university-affiliated, academic training environment offering both a 6-year Integrated pathway and a 3-year Independent pathway for candidates who have completed prerequisite surgical training, drawing on a multi-site clinical network spanning Denver Health, University of Colorado Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, the VA Medical Center, and community cosmetic surgeons. The breadth of rotations—burn, hand, craniofacial, oculoplastics, dermatology, OMFS, and dedicated cosmetic surgery time with community surgeons—reflects an emphasis on comprehensive exposure across reconstructive and aesthetic subspecialties rather than a single niche focus. Research is structurally embedded but not singularly dominant: residents complete a mentored research project culminating in a publishable manuscript and present annually at a divisional research symposium, situated within a broader Department of Surgery research infrastructure with substantial extramural funding. Graduate outcomes show a mix of fellowship subspecialization (hand, microsurgery, aesthetic), academic appointments, and private/community practice, indicating the program values well-rounded surgeons capable of pursuing varied post-residency paths rather than funneling toward one trajectory.