Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program

Plastic Surgery Analyst Verified · Apr 23, 2025

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program is a residency program specializing in Plastic Surgery, located in Nashville, Tennessee, directed by Brian C. Drolet, MD and coordinated by Beth Benson. The program accepts applications through October 31, 2027. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at [email protected] or (615) 936-3574. IMGPrep analysts have verified and compiled this program’s IMG acceptance rate, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 score requirements, Visa Sponsorship Policy, graduation year cutoff, and ECFMG certificate requirements — available to IMGPrep subscribers.

Program Identity & Fit

Vanderbilt's Plastic Surgery Program is a tertiary/quaternary academic center with a large faculty base (22 attendings) and subspecialty "pod" structure spanning Hand, General Reconstruction, Pediatric/Craniofacial, and Breast/Aesthetic surgery, drawing on collaborative resources including the Burn Center, VA Hospital, Surgical Oncology, Orthopaedics, and Trauma. Research is deeply embedded in the program's identity, with a dedicated 1,650 sq ft wet lab, survival surgical suite, a formal research fellowship (1-2 year commitment) producing peer-reviewed output in nerve regeneration, wound healing, breast reconstruction, and migraine surgery, plus institutional VICTR/CORE grant infrastructure supporting trainee-driven projects. The program values residents who engage with longitudinal research and academic productivity alongside high-volume, complex reconstructive and aesthetic case exposure. Its scale (three categorical spots, nine total residents, four fellows) and named clinical "pods" suggest a structured, subspecialty-oriented training path geared toward academic and complex reconstructive careers.

Who it fits

An applicant with a substantiated research trajectory (bench, translational, or outcomes-based) in plastic surgery, seeking a subspecialty-structured academic program with strong ties to complex reconstructive and craniofacial/hand surgery, fits this program's existing identity.

Research intensity

Strong - dedicated laboratory infrastructure, a formal research fellowship, and named ongoing basic-science and clinical research initiatives indicate research is expected and heavily supported, though not universally mandated for every trainee.

Career orientation

Mixed - Academic Medicine, Fellowship

Important

Visiting students interested in the integrated residency are strongly encouraged to complete a visiting rotation, submitting a CV, a personal statement explaining their interest in plastic surgery and the program specifically, and one letter of recommendation from a faculty member who knows them well.

Choose Specialty / Choose Another Program