Product Description

This CME course examines the role of mentorship in plastic surgery through a review of the current literature, with emphasis on the characteristics of effective mentor-mentee relationships, the impact of mentorship on career development and wellness, and the barriers that limit access to meaningful guidance. The course highlights recurring themes such as mentor accessibility, sustained time investment, shared identity and lived experience, leadership development, sponsorship, and the importance of inclusive mentorship structures for trainees and practicing surgeons alike. Participants will also explore how mentorship influences academic productivity, professional advancement, and burnout mitigation, while considering practical strategies to strengthen mentorship across the continuum of plastic surgery training and practice.

Intended Audience

This educational activity is intended for all CME-related persons including plastic surgery practitioners, residents, and other healthcare professionals.

Learning Objectives

After viewing this course, the participant should be able to:

1. Identify the core characteristics of effective mentorship in plastic surgery.
2. Evaluate the importance of mentor-mentee identity concordance.
3. Describe how effective mentorship influences trainee and surgeon outcomes.
4. Recognize common barriers to mentorship in plastic surgery.
5. Apply evidence-based approaches to strengthen mentorship programs and relationships across the continuum of training and practice.

Faculty:

Stone, Benjamin K. MSc; Kung, Theodore A. MD; Abbed, Turkia MD, FACS; Lin, Ines MD; Rao, Vinay MD, MPH; Janis, Jeffrey E. MD, FACS; Macdonald, Layne Raborn MD

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open Editors

Editor-in-Chief: Jeffrey E. Janis, MD, FACS

Co-editors: Amanda Gosman, MD, FACS; Albert Losken, MD, FACS

Wellness editor: Ibrahim Khansa, MD

CME Faculty:

Ines Lin, MD

Vinay Rao, MD, MPH

Accreditation

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation

The ASPS designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM: 1.0

Media: Journal Article

Release Date: 3/26/2026

Expiration Date: 3/26/2029*

Estimated time to complete this course: 1 hour

*Course access ends on course expiration date

Disclosure Policy

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) requires all instructors, planners, reviewers, managers and other individuals in a position to control or influence the content of an activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships or affiliations. All identified conflicts of interest must be resolved and the educational content thoroughly vetted by ASPS for fair balance, scientific objectivity and appropriateness of patient care recommendations. ASPS also requires faculty/authors to disclose when off-label/unapproved uses of product are discussed in a CME activity or included in related materials.

Disclaimer: All relevant financial relationships for planners, faculty and others in control of content (either individually or as a group) are reviewed by the ASPS Continuing Education Committee and have been mitigated, if applicable.

The following planners/faculty members/reviewers have the following disclosures:

Dr. Janis receives royalties from Thieme and Springer Publishing.

The following planners/faculty members/reviewers have no relevant financial relationships or affiliations to disclose:

Benjamin K. Stone, MSc

Theodore A. Kung, MD

Turkia Abbed, MD, FACS

Ines Lin, MD

Layne Raborn Macdonald, MD

Vinay Rao, MD, MPH

Recognition Statement

The Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits offered by this activity are enhanced by ASPS Learner Credit Reporting for learners who have opted into this reporting. Successful completion of this CME activity enables active American Board of Surgery (ABS) members the opportunity to earn credit toward the CME requirement of the ABS's Continuous Certification program when claimed within 30 days of completion of the activity.

Directly provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons® (ASPS®)

Participants in ASPS-accredited education who want their CME credits reported to certifying and state licensing boards must opt-in to reporting and add their NPI as well as state license ID and/or collaborating board ID(s) before claiming credit.

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