Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Receives AAFPRS Accreditation
The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the world’s largest specialty association for facial plastic surgery, has granted formal accreditation of the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston under the direction of Tang Ho, MD, MSc. The fellowship program has been certified by the Texas Medical Board since 2021.
To qualify as an AAFPRS fellowship program, the Department of Otorhinolaryngology demonstrated that fellows in facial plastic surgery acquire a high level of specialized knowledge and skills; contribute to advancements in the subspecialty through basic research and clinical trials; and foster the development of future educators. “We’ve created a well-rounded fellowship training program that offers a positive, rich learning experience in both cosmetic and reconstructive areas of facial plastic surgery,” says Tang Ho, MD, MSc, director of the Texas Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, director of the fellowship program, and an associate professor of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery. “Our goal is to train outstanding facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons who go on to serve patients through academic medicine and private practice in communities across the United States.”
Graduates of the AAFPRS-approved fellowship have competency in rhinoplasty, oculoplastic surgery, and facial rejuvenation as well as minimally invasive treatments, facial reanimation, microvascular reconstruction, and facial trauma reconstruction. Each fellow participates in a research project on a topic of interest and serves as an instructor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology.
Assisting Dr. Ho in the training of fellows is W. Katherine Kao, MD, assistant professor of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery and assistant residency program director in the department. Dr. Kao completed fellowship training at the University of Miami, where she received specialized training in hair transplantation in addition to skin cancer reconstruction, rhinoplasty, and rejuvenation of the aging face.
Cosmetic procedures performed at the Texas Center for Facial Plastic Surgery include rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, face lift, neck lift, and brow lift; thread lift; Botox®, dermal filler, and Sculptra®; hair transplant and hair restoration; PRP for facial rejuvenation and hair restoration; laser facial rejuvenation; microneedling; and chemical peels. Reconstruction procedures include skin cancer reconstruction, periocular reconstruction; facial reanimation after facial paralysis; microvascular reconstruction; facial trauma reconstruction; and functional rhinoplasty.
The new fellowship is in addition to an existing facial plastics fellowship affiliated with the department under Russell Kridel, MD, a long-time voluntary faculty member with the department.