James Zins, MD

The Cleveland Clinic post graduate aesthetic fellowship is an American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery approved one-year fellowship. It includes comprehensive, postgraduate training in all aspects of facial aesthetic surgery including endoscopic brow lift, face lift, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, chin and facial bone contouring procedures and a variety of skin resurfacing techniques. In addition to a major focus on facial aesthetic surgery, there is ample opportunity to participate in body contouring, lipo-sculpting aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery. Each week consists of four clinical days and one day of dedicated clinic research.  To qualify for our aesthetic fellowship, the candidate must be a board-eligible graduate of an ACGME-accredited plastic surgery residency prior to the July 1 start date of any given year or hold an ECFMG certification to qualify for clinical training. Prospective candidates who have complete applications are interviewed the year prior and the selection is made shortly thereafter. International applicants are also welcome with outstanding qualifications. Eligible applicants must have completed the following requirements: USMLE & ECGMG certifications.  At the completion of the fellowship it is expected that each graduate will have a sophisticated and nuance appreciation for the problems and solutions for facial aging. This includes but is not limited to an in-depth understanding of the three dimensional aspects of facial anatomy, and why wide variety of techniques may or may not be effective. In addition, it is expected that the graduate would have developed advanced surgical technical abilities. Significant time will be made available to perfect surgical technique in body contouring and breast surgery and the same level of sophistication from a diagnostic and therapeutic approach is expected in these areas as well.

The Aesthetic Fellow will work closely with the staff in the area of clinical research. Historically each Aesthetic Fellow has published between two and five papers based on their clinical experience during the fellowship. Opportunity will be provided to make national presentations based on the clinical activity performed during the fellowship year.

Fellows are expected to participate fully in didactic plastic surgery conferences, journal clubs and visiting professorships. Full integration into the department with regard to didactic and clinical activities is expected and leads to the most beneficial fellowship experience.

Fellows meet with the Program Director to discuss feedback with regard to their experience and with regard to their evaluations. The work week consists of four clinical days and one clinical research day. The program focuses heavily on facial aesthetic surgery and medicine, but ample opportunity is available for developing skills in body contouring, breast and aesthetic reconstructive surgery. Fellows are supervised by fifteen individual staff physicians and are responsible for those patients in whom operation the fellow has participated.

Ample opportunity is provided for clinic patient follow up and for independent clinic and operating time.

In addition to surgery and operating room aspects of cosmetic surgery, the program is heavily involved in aesthetic medicine including botulinum toxin, fillers, lipo transfer, and a wide variety of resurfacing techniques.

The department is actively involved in clinical research at the medical students, residents, fellows and staff levels. The department consists of twelve integrated resident positions, a microsurgery and craniofacial fellowship, three research fellowship positions in addition to the aesthetic fellowship. This provides lively interaction among trainees and plastic surgery staff.