AACS Announces Women in Cosmetic Surgery Section

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) recently announced the creation of a forum to support the professional and personal development of female cosmetic surgeon members at all career levels.¹ 

The forum, called the AACS Women in Cosmetic Surgery Section (WICS), will provide members a place to network, participate in mentorships, improve leadership skills, and other benefits to support their growth. 

The WICS website states that their goals are:² 

• Review and make recommendations to improve current membership benefits or to develop new benefits that are unique to the needs of women cosmetic surgeons.
• Design an event or education session at the AACS Annual Scientific Meeting.
• Seek opportunities to partner with other women’s surgical and physicians’ groups.
• Lead the Women in Cosmetic Surgery Section.

WICS will be led by Jane Petro, MD, a plastic surgeon in Boston, Massachusetts and Suzan Obagi, MD, the director of dermatologic surgery for the residents in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center in Pennsylvania. Both are past presidents of the AACS and so-chairs on the AACS Committee. 

“Our goal is to help women surgeons develop their individual potential as professionals and promote an environment within and outside of AACS that fosters inclusion, respect, and success,” says Petro. “We applaud AACS President Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown and the Board of Trustees for approving the concept of the WICS Section, reflecting an important commitment to equality.”

Initially, WICS was created as an event to be held at the AACS Annual Scientific Meeting, starting in 2020 with the “Women in Cosmetic Surgery Breakfast”.

During the academy’s meeting in February of 2021, the WICS committee held their second annual event with keynote speaker Deborah L. Benzil, MD, FACS, FAANS, vice chair of neurosurgery at Cleveland Clinic Center for Spine Health.

Currently, the AACS members that serve on the WICS committee are Rania Agha, MD, a dermatologist at the Summit Dermatology & Aesthetic Surgery Institute, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois; Cynthia A. Buono, DO, a cosmetic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery of Chicago and Medical Spa, Northfield, Illinois; Annalise Boisvert, MD, FACOG, NCMP, an OBGYN at Southcoast Health, Dartmouth, Massachusetts; Roxana Barad, MD, an ophthalmologist at the Aesthetic Skin and Laser Center in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Jessica West, DO, a cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery specialist in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Sheila Barbarino, MD, FAAO, FAACS, FACS, a cosmetic surgeon at Barbarino Surgical Arts, El Segundo, California; Tiziana Lazzari, MD, a cosmetic surgeon at Casa Della Salute, Genova Liguria, Italy, and Sepideh Sabooree, MD, DMD a resident at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.

“We are excited about the work ahead, which will focus on offering female AACS members mutual support, encouragement, and mentorship so that together, we can bring positive change to the field of cosmetic surgery,” says Obagi.

References:

1. News from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. FitzGerald N. June 17, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

2. Women in cosmetic surgery committee. American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Accessed June 18, 2021. https://www.cosmeticsurgery.org/page/WICSCommittee