AACS Certified Cosmetic Surgery Fellowships
Experience of an AACS Certified General Cosmetic Surgery Training Fellow
Norman Stewart, MD | Lake Charles, Louisiana

As a 2023 graduate of the AACS Certified General Cosmetic Surgery Fellowship Program, I can attest to it being a wonderful experience. My fellowship was unique in that I trained with two great cosmetic surgeons. The first six months was with the late great Dr. Lionel Meadows in Commerce, Georgia. The second half of my fellowship was under former AACS president Dr. Kevin Duplechain in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Under both directors, I was able to gain an enormous amount of hands-on training and experience. Having practiced as an OB-GYN for 7 years, I was no stranger to the operating room, but I was making a mid-career switch into cosmetic surgery. And the experience I obtained was second to none. At the end of my fellowship, I came away with the surgical skill set to comfortably perform just about any cosmetic procedure.

Furthermore, I gained the ability to manage complications that may come, subsequent to any cosmetic surgery. What I didn’t expect was the comradery that I have gained with other cosmetic surgeons and fellows. The organization really functions like a family, and everyone is always willing to assist or lend a helping hand. My decision to become a cosmetic surgeon and to complete an AACS Certified Fellowship was a wonderful experience, and I would recommend it to anyone considering entering the field of cosmetic surgery.