Abstract
BACKGROUND: The number of The Aesthetic Society-endorsed aesthetic surgery fellowship (ASEAF) programs has grown in recent years as more plastic surgery residents pursue advanced training in aesthetic procedures following residency. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the structure and case volume of one long-established ASEAF program and summarize practice patterns and self-reported experiences of nationwide ASEAF graduates (from the US programs) across 6 academic years. METHODS: A retrospective review of case logs from 6 aesthetic surgery fellows at a single institution from the 2018 to 2023 academic years was conducted. Additionally, an anonymous 5-question survey was distributed to 125 ASEAF graduates nationwide from the same time period. RESULTS: Fellows at the study institution completed a total of 3113 aesthetic cases with an average distribution of 80.5% surgical and 19.5% nonsurgical procedures. Breast augmentation was the most common surgical procedure early in the study period, whereas rhinoplasty predominated in later years. Neuromodulator injections were the most common nonsurgical procedure performed. Among 64 survey respondents (51.2% response rate) representing 24 endorsed fellowship programs nationwide, most reported practicing in group private practice settings (n = 44, 68.8%). Facial aesthetic surgery represented the largest portion of respondents' current practice (28%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides descriptive insights into the structure and case volume of 1 ASEAF program and reports trends in practice settings and procedural focus among ASEAF graduates nationwide. These findings offer a snapshot of aesthetic fellowship training and early career patterns but do not assess patient outcomes or compare endorsed fellowships with other training pathways. Future research with larger cohorts, longer follow-ups, and objective measures is needed to better understand the long-term professional impact of aesthetic fellowship training.