Dear Alumni,

t is with great honor and humility that I Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial Surgery. cliché, “If I see further, it is by standing on the write to you for the first time in my official During these years, I immersed myself in the shoulders of giants.” Icapacity as the new Chief of the Division history of the Division and the achievements It comes as no revelation to you that Surgery of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery that made Duke one of the top Plastic at Duke has been, and will always be, among at Duke University. Over the years, I have Surgery training programs in the country. the world’s great Departments of Surgery. met many, but not all of you. In the years I became acutely aware of the tradition Much of the ascendance of Duke Plastic to come, I hope to have the opportunity to of excellence and the never-ending quest Surgery came during the tenure of one of get to know all of our tremendous alumni to lead the nation and to advance the and to keep you informed of the ongoing the world’s most influential Chairmen in specialty while providing the very best care Surgery, Dr. David Sabiston. Indeed, many growth and success of your alma mater. I in the world for Duke patients. Most of you want to take a few moments to share some of your careers were influenced directly or trained under the leadership of five men: thoughts as we embark on an ambitious indirectly by Dr. Sabiston’s leadership. Three Drs. Kenneth Pickrell, Nicholas Georgiade, course for the future of Duke Plastic Surgery. years ago, Duke brought back a remarkable Donald Serafin, L. Scott Levin, and my former resident to lead the Department I came to Duke nearly 16 years ago, immediate predecessor Gregory Georgiade. of Surgery into the future, Dr. Allan Kirk, recruited by Dr. L. Scott Levin, and was To list the accomplishments of these leaders Chairman of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief charged with building upon the foundations in our field would be nearly impossible. for the Duke Health system. In June, he originally set by Drs. Kenneth Pickrell, Suffice it to say that there are incredibly shared the progress and accomplishments of Nicholas Georgiade, and others in Pediatric large shoes to fill. There is truth behind the the Department during his first three years, and what he shared was nothing short of own ways. We are also fortunate to have their initial goal of $100,000, thanks solely to remarkable and inspiring. Dr. Kirk has proven an enthusiastic and highly capable group of gifts donated by alumni and their families. to be an advocate for Plastic Surgery and residents. worked with me during my recruitment to We will hold the next alumni reunion bring tremendous resources to grow the As an institution, Duke has transformed concurrent with the graduation of our Division of Plastic Surgery to surpass the and grown significantly in recent years. In last independent class on the weekend greatest times in our illustrious history. the years to come, the Division of Plastic of June 23, 2018. The weekend event will Surgery’s faculty will increase. As we include lectures and social activities along Every alumnus of the program came to embark on the future, the faculty and I will with the inaugural Kenneth and Katherine Duke with a purpose: not to be just average, examine our present state, and we will plot Pickrell lectureship. It is with great pride and not to be good, but to be great. But in a course for our future. Those of you who excitement that I share with you that the terms of the training program, what does were present at our alumni reunion in May inaugural Pickrell lecture will be presented it mean to be great? Once again, our prior 2016 are aware that the training program by Dr. J. William Futrell. For those interested, leaders laid the groundwork. It starts with is in the latter stages of a transition from you may find it worthwhile to re-read Dr. having a teaching and learning environment the traditional independent pathway to Futrell’s heartfelt obituary for Dr. Pickrell, based on trust, teamwork, and tradition. It an integrated model. Several years ago, published in March 1985 in Plastic and involves creating an atmosphere of family Dr. Greg Georgiade recognized that this Reconstructive Surgery, which began with a and friendship. It requires a commitment transition was necessary to be considered quote by Alexander Pope, “Let such teach to lifelong learning and giving back to among the top training programs. With others, who themselves excel.” our communities and to the specialty. It program directors Michael Zenn and Suhail involves the fostering of ingenuity and Mithani, we developed a curriculum to In closing, I am grateful to all of those who passion. Finally, it involves tireless effort, take the best elements from many of our gave me the opportunities to prepare for enthusiasm, and inspiration by the faculty peer training programs to create a truly the challenge of serving as the next Chief and leadership. A great Plastic Surgery exceptional 6-year training experience. In of the Division of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Division and training program is one that our 6-year curriculum, we now have 18 Oral Surgery. I recognize the tremendous embraces and advances the specialty across plastic surgery residents. responsibility that comes with being its breadth. My predecessors led Duke to entrusted to growing the Duke legacy. Our become a beacon for reconstructive surgery. The last independent residency class will future is bright, but the heights we will The importance of this identity will not be graduate from Duke in June 2018. This event reach would not be possible without the lost on us as we work to create the most will mark a historic day for Duke Plastic accomplishments of our past. To all of you well-rounded academic plastic surgery Surgery and an opportunity to demonstrate who made Duke great, I hope to meet program in the country. In doing so, we our respect, gratitude, and reverence to you next year in Durham. all who have trained at Duke since the strive to be the best at every level: in the With warm personal wishes on behalf of the clinic, in academics, and in research. inception of the residency program in 1946. In addition, the faculty, alumni, and I have faculty, residents, and staff of Duke Plastic I have the great fortune to begin a journey come to the conclusion that it is time to Surgery, that has not only a rich history, but a honor Dr. Pickrell and his legacy to plastic strong present tense. We are blessed surgery and to Duke. The Division owes a to have a group of highly talented core debt of gratitude to Drs. Latane Ware and and community faculty. The current core Norman Cole for their work in recent years faculty include Drs. Alexander Allori, David to develop the Kenneth and Katherine Brown, Linda Cendales, Detlev Erdmann, Pickrell endowment. The endowment’s Jeffrey R. Marcus, MD Greg Georgiade, Scott Hollenbeck, Bruce purpose was to create an endowed Klitzman, Howie Levinson, Suhail Mithani, lectureship in the Pickrells’ names. As of Chief, Division of Plastic, and David Powers. Each of these individuals this writing, Drs. Ware and Cole raised over Maxillofacial, and Oral is exceptional and remarkable in his/her $170,000 for this endowment, exceeding Surgery THE DUKE DIVISION OF PLASTIC, MAXILLOFACIAL, AND ORAL SURGERY HAS A THREEFOLD MISSION:

We aim to provide We immerse plastic surgeons in We perform cutting-edge compassionate, cost-effective, training in an environment that research that translates into and high-quality patient care challenges and subsequently improved patient care at Duke to all patients, their families, educates them across a and around the world. and loved ones. spectrum of disciplines, including patient care, research, and academic pursuit.

Contact:

Melanie Kirk 919-684-2472 [email protected] surgery.duke.edu