The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery celebrated the 2026 graduation with a banquet at the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis on Saturday, June 20.
The ceremony took place in the Zodiac Room, where division faculty, families of trainees, and colleagues gathered to honor the graduates’ achievements. The evening included a cocktail and social hour, dinner service, celebration of the graduates, and academic awards. Graduation accolades were presented by Justin Sacks, MD, MBA, the director of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Amber Leis, MD, the director of the plastic surgery residency program.
The celebration followed a week of academic activities, including the 30th Annual James Barrett Brown Research Day, a longstanding division tradition that showcases innovative basic science, translational and clinical research conducted by faculty, residents, fellows, students and research staff.
James Barrett Brown Day 2026
The division recognized excellence in education, research and clinical care during its annual research day. James Barrett Brown was one of the founders of plastic and reconstructive surgery as a specialty. James Barrett Brown Resident Research Day was first hosted at WashU Medicine in 1997, inaugurated by Susan Mackinnon, MD in his honor to serve as an annual opportunity for trainees to present their research to the division and a visiting contemporary leader in plastic surgery.
Scott Hollenbeck, MD, the visiting professor and past president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, co-moderated panel discussions and fielded audience questions alongside WashU Medicine plastic surgery faculty and regional specialists. Among the co-moderators and mentors participating in discussion were Matt Wood, PhD, Xiaowei Li, PhD, Mitchell Pet, MD, Marissa Tenenbaum, MD, Ruth Tevlin, MD, Thomas Tung, MD, Jaimie Shores, MD, Chris Prevel, MD, Pat McGuire, MD, and Eamon O’Reilly, MD (University of Missouri).
The research day continues to serve as a cornerstone of trainee scholarly development within WashU Medicine, providing residents, fellows and students an opportunity to present original research and engage with national leaders in the field.
At the closing of the research day, Hollenbeck delivered the 30th Annual James Barrett Brown Address before announcing the winners of the best presentations. The winners for best presentations were Abdullah Said, MD, and Hussein Assi, MD. Said’s presentation was Complications in Implant Based Breast Reconstruction in the setting of Concomitant Surgery. Assi’s presentation was Posterior intercostal vessels use as recipients in posterior trunk reconstruction.
Honoring graduating trainees
The division celebrated its graduating trainees and recognized excellence in education, research and clinical care during its annual graduation ceremony on June 20 at the Chase Park Plaza. The event honored graduating residents and fellows, highlighted outstanding achievements by trainees and faculty, and reflected on another successful academic year.
At the banquet, division leadership and faculty honored the fellows and chief residents, starting with the three fellows.
Graduates completed advanced training in hand surgery and microsurgery, highly specialized areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery that focus on complex nerve, vessel and soft tissue reconstruction.
Fellowship graduates
- Travis Gordon, MD (Hand Fellowship)
- Ben Kirby, MD (Hand Fellowship)
- Hussein Assi, MD (Microsurgery Fellowship)
Each fellow was honored by a faculty mentor from their respective fellowship program, highlighting their expertise.
The fellows will continue on their academic journeys, going into a mix of academic tracks. Gordon will return to British Columbia, Canada to put his earned skills to work, Kirby will return to University of Missouri as an academic surgeon; and Assi will enter the hand and peripheral nerve fellowship at University of Toronto.
Residency graduates
- Shea Maloy, MD
- Jonah Orr, MD
- Erin Silverman, MD
- Anna Rose Johnson, MD
Each graduate was honored by a resident colleague and a faculty mentor who offered words of wisdom and encouragement, while highlighting the excellence of each graduating resident.
Johnson will be entering the hand fellowship Mayo Clinic; Maloy will continue her education in the aesthetic fellowship at Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute; Orr is entering the hand fellowship at University of Virginia; Silverman will continue her education in the microsurgery fellowship at University of Pennsylvania.
Resident and faculty awards
Several trainees and faculty members were recognized for their achievements and contributions to education and scholarship.
The following residents were recognized for exceptional academic accomplishments:
- Jonah Orr, MD – inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
- Grace Keane, MD – inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and achieved an In-Service Examination (ISE) score in the 98th percentile
- Arthur “Artie” Sletten, MD, PhD – inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and achieved an In-Service Examination (ISE) score in the 100th percentile
- Student-Elected Resident Teaching Award – Randall Pierrot, MD
- Best Project Presentation PSQI Award – Lucas Rohrer, MD
- Resident-Elected Resident Teaching Award – Shea Maloy, MD
- Paul M. Weeks Award for Excellence in Resident Education (presented by the graduating class) – Rachel Anolik, MD
- Career Achievement Award (presented by the graduating class) – Keith Brandt, MD
As the evening concluded, division leadership offered congratulations to the graduates and thanked faculty, staff, families and mentors for their support throughout the trainees’ educational journeys.
“Tonight we celebrate milestones achieved, challenges overcome, and the bright futures ahead for our residents, fellows, and our faculty,” said Sacks in his closing remarks. “Academic medicine is all about planting these trees. It takes humility to create that shade you may never sit under; every resident we mentor and technique we refine strengthens that legacy. Our graduates have combined talent, hard work, and generosity in a way to create real luck for all of us and left a true legacy at WashU plastic surgery. We are so proud of you. Remain curious and share knowledge generously. The shade you create may not always be for you, but it will serve as shelter for those who come next.”
The 2026 graduation ceremony and the 30th Annual James Barrett Brown Research Day highlighted the division’s enduring commitment to excellence in education, research and patient care while celebrating the achievements of the next generation of leaders in plastic and reconstructive surgery.