Our craniofacial surgery fellowship, one of a handful in the country to earn accreditation from the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, offers:

• Clinical experience with all aspects of craniofacial surgery, combined with a comprehensive teaching curriculum.
• Training by leaders in the field of craniofacial surgery, including experts in translational and basic science research and in surgery education.
• Instruction in the ethics of medical decision-making, led by Dr. Christian J. Vercler, who holds a master of ethics and a master of theological studies and is co-director of the Clinical Ethics Service at the Center for Bioethics & Social Sciences in Medicine at U-M.
• Opportunities to conduct research in our NIH-funded bone laboratory led by Dr. Steven R. Buchman MD founder of the U-M Craniofacial Research Laboratory.
• Access to a huge caseload, and its attendant clinical data

You’ll receive one-on-one instruction in some of the most complex cases in craniofacial surgery, including monobloc advancements, frontal orbital advancements, total cranial vault reshaping, distraction osteogenesis, and facial trauma. Our program is also one of the few to offer training in orthognathic surgery to include Lefort I, Sagittal split, Genioplasty as well as rapid palatal expansion and a full dental lab for construction of splints and performance of face bow transfers.

Our Craniofacial Anomalies Program is one of the largest of its kind in the country, treating more than 500 new patients a year. The Section of Plastic Surgery performs an average 4,000 major operations a year. This case volume means that fellows will see a wealth of interesting cases.

Throughout your fellowship, you’ll be mentored by faculty who are actively pursuing new knowledge in craniofacial surgery and sharing their expertise through their roles as leaders in national organizations.

The Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship experiences includes a series of weekly didactic conferences that are required for all fellows, ranging from department grand rounds and journal club to team conferences. Conferences and courses are conducted by various fellowship program and Department of Surgery faculty members.

During your time as a craniofacial surgery fellow, you’ll write and submit 2 manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals under the guidance of your research mentors. You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to clinical and basic science research efforts elsewhere in the department, including in Dr. Buchman’s NIH-funded Craniofacial Research Laboratory.

Research in the craniofacial lab focuses on 4 main areas:

• Analysis of the relationship of biomechanical environment on bone graft behavior.
• Analysis of the etiology of craniosynostosis and cranial suture morphogenesis as they relate to the bones of the skull.
• Studies of the molecular mechanisms of distraction osteogenesis as they relate to the bones of the craniofacial skeleton.
• Optimization of distraction osteogenesis and bone healing in the radiated craniofacial skeleton to increase efficacy in post-oncologic reconstruction.
• Funding is available for fellows to attend academic meetings and to pursue research projects.

Learn more about Plastic Surgery research