Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Residency

We participate in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), so please contact your medical school or the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates for instructions about the application process. 

The Residency Review Committee has approved our integrated Plastic Surgery residency program for four residents per year. We directly match all positions through the National Resident Matching Program. We adhere to all interview requirements set forth by the NRMP and ACEPS.

Interviews are by invitation only. We are excited to share that we will be conducting interviews in person on the University of Chicago Medicine campus this year. Interview dates are still to be determined.

The applicant selection committee carefully reviews all completed applications, and in accordance with ACEPS guidelines, interview invitations will be sent via email by our Program Coordinator according to the timeline prescribed by ACEPS.

A Chicago-area native, Ronak Patel was born in Carol Stream, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign for Molecular & Cellular Biology, Psychology, and Chemistry. He then moved to Chicago for medical school, attending the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. During his attendance at the College of Medicine, he spent a year at Stanford University under the guidance of Dr. Derrick Wan and Dr. Michael Longaker in basic science research studying stem cell biology, radiation fibrosis, and fat grafting. Now at the University of Chicago, he is thrilled to be a part of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery team. Outside the hospital, he spends time exploring Chicago's vibrant restaurant scene and spending time with family and friends, as well as playing tennis, volleyball, and sailing during the brief Chicago summer!

Rachita was born in Toronto, Canada, and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. She earned undergraduate degrees at the University of Maryland in Biology and in Government & Politics. Rachita then moved to Miami, FL to complete her medical degree and MPH at the University of Miami. During this time, she spent nine months living in Bihar, India on a Fulbright scholarship to study obstetric and surgical care delivery in collaboration with CARE India and the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change. Rachita completed an intern year in obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University, before working as a research fellow in the Northwestern Division of Plastic Surgery and coming to the University of Chicago for her plastic and reconstructive surgery training. In her spare time, Rachita enjoys running, practicing yoga, reading, travel, and exploring state and national parks.

Hope joins us from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, having studied Molecular Biology and Neuroscience at Princeton University. Hope was an MD/MSCR graduate and designed, coded, executed, and analyzed a thesis study investigating baseline comorbidities as a predictive factor for reconstruction and complications after reconstruction in post-mastectomy women. Additionally, Hope is the five-time winner of the Metals Service Center Institute Scholarship, Southern California Chapter and Shapiro Prize recipient for Academic Excellence. Hope enjoys art, singing, ukulele, creative writing, and badminton.

Elam, from River Forest, IL, joins us from  Pritzker School of Medicine, having completed a BA in Neuroscience from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. Elam has worked with several faculty members on the Plastic Surgery team on many research projects and papers in the past few years, including a project with Dr. David Chang that analyzed racial and economic disparities in surgical treatment for lymphedema that was accepted to MAPS, and work in the Molecular Oncology Lab with Dr. Russell Reid and Dr. T.C. He. Elam enjoys photography, playing and watching basketball, and playing tennis and ping-pong, as well as reading.

Kanad was born in Calcutta and raised in New York. He studied English and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania and spent two years post-graduation working in a bench lab focused on the epigenetics of ageing. He then went on to the Stony Brook University School of Medicine where he developed an early interest in plastic surgery through work with faculty and resident mentors. He's excited to be in the welcoming city of Chicago and working alongside talented, diverse colleagues. Outside of the hospital, Kanad enjoys traveling, hiking, sketching, and rooting for the New York Knicks through the good and (many) bad years.

Max was born in Denver and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. After graduating from Harvard University with a BA in stem cell biology, he was a management consultant in McKinsey & Company’s San Francisco office, serving healthcare systems clients across the US and abroad. He then went to medical school at UCLA as a Geffen Scholar. He developed an interest in plastic surgery, conducting research in syndromic craniosynostosis and gender affirmation surgery. He looks forward to expanding his exploration into health services research in reconstructive surgery, healthcare management, and delivery system improvement. Outside of surgery, Max loves eating, sleeping, Pelotoning, pilates-ing, skiing, traveling, and brachycephalic dogs.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Sawyer completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on Neurobiology and Psychology. Subsequently, she pursued her medical training at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where her fascination with plastic surgery blossomed. This passion led her to explore research avenues aimed at identifying predictors of patient quality of life, with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient care. Following Sawyer’s medical studies, she had the opportunity to train in general surgery at NYU-Long Island. This only furthered her interest in microsurgery and limb salvage. Now, she’s excited about advancing her knowledge and skills alongside esteemed colleagues during her plastic surgery residency at the University of Chicago.

Ricardo comes from Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He studied Biomolecular Science and Latino/a Studies at the University of Michigan, after which he attended medical school at Wayne State University in Detroit. Ricardo became interested in plastic surgery during his clinical rotations, and performed research in craniofacial and breast surgery. After two years of general surgery residency at University of Illinois at Chicago, he joined the plastic surgery team at U of C. Outside of the hospital, Ricardo enjoys pickup basketball, charcoal and pastel art, and a good movie.

Marty was born in Boston, MA and studied Biological and Behavioral Design at Cornell University. He then spent two years working as a research assistant at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and completed a Master of Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. He finally decided to attend medical school at Thomas Jefferson University, and developed an interest in plastic surgery early on in his medical education. He looks forward to expanding his interests and knowledge in breast reconstruction, gender affirmation surgery, and cosmetic surgery. Outside of the hospital, Marty loves spending time with his family and two dogs, as well as numerous home improvement projects. 

Lyndsay was born in western New York and grew up in a rural village on Lake Ontario before moving to Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 12. She studied Biochemistry and Psychology at Arizona State University and spent 3 years post-graduation working in healthcare-related fields. Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Lyndsay went to medical school at the University of Arizona (Tucson). Despite not having a home program, she developed an interest in plastic surgery and took the plunge on a research year at Mayo Clinic Arizona where she published on topics ranging from lymphedema and pressure injuries to craniofacial trauma and breast reconstruction. An enrolled tribal member of Upper Cayuga Nation, Lyndsay is interested in the intersection of Indigenous People’s healthcare and plastic surgery, particularly as it pertains to disparities. Outside of the hospital, Lyndsay enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, being outdoors, running, fishing, and pursuing various artistic endeavors such as charcoal illustrations and photography.

Gaia was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago. She received a BA in Mathematics modified with Economics from Dartmouth College. Following graduation, she worked in the fashion industry before deciding to pursue a career in medicine. She did a Post-Baccalaureate at Northwestern University before attending medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. While in medical school, Gaia built a strong passion working with children through her volunteer work with the Make-A-Wish foundation and tutoring students, all of which led to her interest in pediatric plastic surgery. Gaia continued to explore this interest through her research in craniosynostosis and cleft lip and palate. She is thrilled to join the University of Chicago PRS team and to work alongside incredible, talented colleagues, while continuing to serve her city. Outside the hospital, Gaia loves oil painting, visiting family in Italy, being a plant mom, watching reality TV for hours, and sports betting on Sunday football.

Surrounded by a loving family and a passion for local sports teams, Larissa was born and raised in the greater Philadelphia area. She attended Georgetown University where she majored in Human Science and minored in Psychology. After a year of working in healthcare market research, she pursued medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of six, she proudly represents the community of physicians who balance managing their own medical conditions while also caring for patients. Larissa loves trying new coffee shops and breweries, playing darts, and spending time with her family, friends, partner, and most importantly her cat Mr. Moo Cowski. 

Originally from Mahwah, NJ, Michael grew up playing sports and video games with his two older brothers. He graduated from Williams College with a BA in Biology and a certificate in Spanish. Michael was also a two-sport athlete as a pitcher on the baseball team and CSCAA Scholar All-American in swimming. Prior to medical school, he was a research technician in the Kidney Transplant Medicine lab at Weill Cornell Medicine, studying noninvasive biomarkers to diagnose acute rejection. He then attended medical school at Tufts University, graduating with Research Honors. Between his third and fourth years of medical school, he completed a research year in the Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU, coordinating studies involving the National Trauma Data Bank and investigating differential gene expression in vascularized composite allografts. He is excited to join the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery team and explore the city of Chicago. Outside of medicine, Michael enjoys watching sports, swimming and playing softball, snowboarding, and relaxing at the beach. 

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Sabrina is a proud double gator - having attended the University of Florida for both her undergraduate studies and medical school. Throughout this time, Sabrina was a lymphedema garment fitter, which initially exposed her to the world of plastic surgery. She continued to explore the field and channeled her passion for plastics into research, ranging from GLP-1 agonist use in plastic surgery to microsurgical complications following COVID-19 infection. She went on to create the first student-run plastic surgery newsletter geared towards medical students interested in the field called "The Stitch." Sabrina is so excited to join the UChicago family and learn amongst the amazing faculty and residents. In her free time, Sabrina loves hosting dinner parties, traveling, sharing her food on @worththecalories, and cheering on the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Born and raised in California, Alexandra (aka Sasha) grew up in the small coastal town of Carmel. She studied psychobiology at UCLA and moved to San Francisco post-grad, to work in healthcare consulting. Sasha then moved to the Midwest, starting her medical training at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Here, her fascination with plastic and reconstructive surgery grew, conducting research in cost effectiveness and insurance coverage for gender affirming surgery, QI, and price transparency legislation. Sasha is excited to now join the amazing residents and faculty of the University of Chicago. Outside of work, Sasha enjoys running, skiing, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. 

Nathan was born and raised in South Florida. He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and completed an MD-PhD program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine (Chicago), earning a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, using multi-omics approaches to study mechanisms in intestinal inflammation. In his free time, he stays active through running, boxing, and playing piano. He is also dedicated to animal rescue, fostering dogs with local organization, One Tail at a Time.

Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sarah completed her undergraduate studies at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, where she majored in biological sciences and minored in studio art and global health. Before attending medical school at the University of Minnesota, she worked as a clinical assistant in an ENT and facial plastics clinic. Between her third and fourth years of medical school, Sarah completed a dedicated research fellowship with the Division of Plastic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, where she published on numerous topics in pediatric plastic surgery and led several large-scale projects alongside hospital administrators and surgical leadership. She is passionate about mental health advocacy and continues to volunteer as a crisis counselor, which has deepened her appreciation for the emotional aspects of reconstructive care. In her free time, Sarah enjoys cooking, weightlifting, trying new restaurants, and creating art through watercolor painting and medical illustration.

Ben grew up in Damariscotta, Maine, where he spent his summers waiting tables and bartending at Schooner Landing. He studied Biology and French at Bowdoin College and then moved to New York City to conduct clinical trials at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Ben earned a Master’s in Medical Sciences from Brown University and later his medical degree from The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Ben is excited to join the incredible Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery team at the University of Chicago. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys fitness, playing lacrosse, and a good coffee shop.