Non-Traditional Leaders in U.S. Plastic Surgery: Challenges and Triumphs

Authors

• Paris D. Butler, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
• Richard Baynosa, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, NV
• Harvey Chim, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
• Carolyn De La Cruz, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• Milton A. Armstrong, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Document Type

Letter to the Editor

Publication Date

2-3-2026

Publication Title

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Abstract

At the 2025 annual meeting of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS), the Innovation, Dignity, Excellence, & Access (IDEA) Committee hosted a panel titled "Non-Traditional Leaders in U.S. Plastic Surgery: Challenges and Triumphs." The discussion featured Drs. Carolyn De La Cruz, Richard Baynosa, Harvey Chim, and Paris Butler, and was moderated by Dr. Milton Armstrong. Each panelist shared their distinctive professional journey, highlighting how integrity, diligence, and excellence transcend barriers of gender, race, and ethnicity. Their stories of perseverance, mentorship, and resilience in the face of marginalization serve as powerful inspiration for the next generation of surgeons.

PubMed ID

41637197

Rights

© 2026 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Recommended Citation

Butler, Paris D.; Baynosa, Richard; Chim, Harvey; De La Cruz, Carolyn; and Armstrong, Milton A., "Non-Traditional Leaders in U.S. Plastic Surgery: Challenges and Triumphs" (2026). School of Medicine Faculty Publications. 4497.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/som_facpubs/4497
10.1097/PRS.0000000000012879