Philosophy of the Resident Cosmetic Clinic
The Resident Cosmetic Clinic of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is committed to providing its patients with the highest levels of care and satisfaction. It was established to provide plastic surgery residents and patients with a mutually beneficial opportunity. This document is designed to provide the necessary information to allow you to make informed decisions regarding care and surgery in the Resident Cosmetic Clinic at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Goals

To provide patients with the opportunity to obtain high-quality cosmetic surgery at an affordable price under the direct care of a supervised resident physician.
To provide plastic surgery residents, during their final two years of training, with the opportunity to develop their own patient practice and to perform cosmetic surgery, both under the supervision of a Washington University faculty physician.

Introduction
The Resident Cosmetic Clinic has benefits and drawbacks that are important for you to consider in making your decision to have your surgery performed by a clinic resident.

Benefits

Patient satisfaction is our highest concern. The plastic surgery residents are dedicated to providing every cosmetic patient with a pleasant experience, beginning with the first visit and continuing through cosmetic surgery and postoperative care.
The residents and faculty are committed to performing high-quality cosmetic surgery and are encouraged to take a conservative approach to patient care.
The residents are supervised by highly trained members of the plastic surgery faculty during surgical procedures.
Prices quoted for cosmetic procedures are highly competitive, but we encourage our patients to compare the quotes with those of other plastic surgeons in the community.
Employees of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University may receive additional discounts.
The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital have a tradition of providing excellent, innovative care to all patients.

Considerations

Cases are performed by residents who have completed a minimum of three years of training in general surgery and are currently training in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Residents are limited in their ability to reserve operative time, which may restrict their flexibility in scheduling cosmetic procedures.
Follow-up care may be transferred to another surgeon when a resident completes his or her rotation in the Resident Cosmetic Clinic.
Emergencies may necessitate a change in the surgical schedule.
The residents are required to perform a specific number and type of cosmetic surgical procedures in order to complete their training in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Thus, scheduling priority will be given to those patients who are scheduling procedures needed to fulfill the training requirements of the residents.
Time required to complete a procedure may be greater when performed by a resident (with faculty supervision).

Please Note:

Only procedures deemed safe, appropriate and beneficial for the patient are performed by the Resident Cosmetic Clinic physicians. There may be times when we are unable to provide the service requested. If you are dissatisfied with the resident’s recommendation or interaction, another resident consultation may be obtained without extra charge.
Two plastic surgical consultations will be required in most cases before surgery is scheduled. The first visit will involve consultation and examination by the resident under the supervision of a plastic surgery faculty member. The purpose of the second visit is to provide patients with the opportunity to ask questions and clarify expectations.
The second visit is included in the consultation fee as long as it is for the same procedure and it occurs within six months of the first visit.
The clinic maintains a strict no smoking policy for the benefit of the patient. All cosmetic patients must stop smoking six weeks prior to their scheduled surgeries.
Confidential pre-operative and post-operative photographs will be required of all patients and will be used to assist in care and as a learning tool for residents.
Surgical quotes are estimates only and may be subject to change. Some fees may be incurred beyond those included in the surgical price quote.
Payment for all surgical procedures is required in advance. Services rendered for complications or revisions are not included in the original payment.
Surgical dates cannot be guaranteed until the faculty physician has approved the surgical plan and all fees have been fully collected.
Pre-surgical evaluation by a medical consultant – including blood work, EKG or chest x-ray – may be required.
The plastic surgery resident is your physician. The resident will perform your surgery and provide your postoperative care. A plastic surgery faculty member will supervise the procedure and will be available if a problem or complication should arise.
If you fail to cancel a pre-operative consultation 24 hours in advance, half the fee will be added to the next visit.
If you fail to cancel an operation 24 hours in advance without legitimate medical reasons, half the surgeon’s fee will be kept by the Division without future credit.

Summary
We believe that an excellent surgical result and a high level of patient care can be provided by a supervised plastic surgery resident. Quality patient care is a combination of knowledge, talent and experience. The plastic surgery residents are both talented and knowledgeable but their experience is limited. If you are looking for a plastic surgeon with a great deal of experience, you may want to consider scheduling a consultation with one of our plastic surgery faculty members. Should you choose to have your cosmetic surgery performed by a plastic surgery resident, after having carefully reviewed this statement, your resident physician will make every effort to provide you with excellent care at a reasonable price.

-Price Estimates
-Scheduling Instructions

Washington University physicians are the medical staff of
Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital