“There may be medical tools in your hands to treat the patient, but those hands must be those of a loving, warm, and conscientious human being.”
—Abhijit Naskar, Time to Save Medicine
When asked what she loves the most, Maureen Beederman, MD, smiled from ear to ear and revealed a few things that warmed our hearts. It’s her newborn child, whom she FaceTimes multiple times throughout the day; in addition, it’s mentoring trainees. Dr. Beederman holds a beguiling perspective on surgery that makes one ponder, as she marvels at the recurring opportunity to “make people whole again.”
“We deal with a lot of trauma and cancer patients,” Dr. Beederman said. “While most surgical specialties are focused on removing bad things like cancer, I get to focus on giving people back their confidence and life.”
Dr. Beederman’s colleagues and patients alike keep her grounded and in tune with her mission as a practitioner. She gains excitement in teaching, and, because she is quite fond of the intricate journey that trainees go through, she is extremely supportive and passionate about their growth through the duration of the program. Mentorship is tremendously essential for a well-rounded experience as a trainee. She mentioned that David W. Chang, MD, and Lawrence J. Gottlieb, MD, have been significant contributors as mentors throughout her surgical journey.
Dr.Beederman holds a vigorous commitment to innovation and discovery. Conjointly, her dedication to providing top-notch surgical care is supported by a sound framework of surgical ethics, as she completed a fellowship at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. “Plastic surgery is never black and white,” she said. She is an advocate and partner, and she is committed not only to ensuring patients are thoroughly informed, but also to leaning in with an attentive ear as they navigate through tough decisions.
Dr. Maureen Beederman is nothing shy of a talented surgical powerhouse, who is committed to providing her patients with the finest care possible. We are grateful for her impressive contributions to our thriving surgical community, and so thrilled she sat down with us.
This is Maureen Beederman, Behind the Mask.
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
The Section of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine consists of world leaders in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, from breast reconstruction to craniomaxillofacial and microsurgery. Our team of highly trained surgeons strives to provide the very best patient care, including specialty expertise in lymphedema, burn and gender-affirming care. The section is nationally recognized for both clinical and basic research, and has major external and federal funding for its research program, including awards from the National Institutes of Health and the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons. As part of our commitment to education, our residents and fellows are selected from among the top-ranked candidates from the United States and around the world. Our goal is to provide the finest healthcare available in a compassionate and accessible environment, while applying the latest developments in research and education.
David W. Chang, MD
Professor of Surgery
Chief, Section of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Director, Microsurgery Fellowship
Learn More & Contact
faculty listing
Professor of Surgery
David W. Chang, MD, Professor of Surgery; Chief, Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; Director, Microsurgery Fellowship
Lawrence J. Gottlieb, MD, Professor of Surgery; Director, Burn and Complex Wound Center
Russell R. Reid, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics; Bernard Sarnat Scholar of Craniofacial Research
Associate Professor of Surgery
Summer Hanson, MD, PhD, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery; Director, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Research
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Maureen Beederman, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Courtney Cripps, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Sebastian Vrouwe, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Clinical Professor of Surgery
Julius W. Few, Jr., MD, Clinical Professor of Surgery
Lawrence S. Zachary, MD, Clinical Professor of Surgery
Clinical Associate of Surgery
Bruce Bauer, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Alan Chen, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Sara Dickie, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Peter D. Geldner, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Karol Gutowski, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Lawrence Iteld, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Sanjay Naran, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Parit Patel, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Alison Shore, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Michael S. Stosich, DMD, MS, MS, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Mark Tan, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
David Teplica, MD, MFA, Clinical Associate of Surgery
Jeremy Warner, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery
faculty honors
Bruce Bauer, MD, was recognized on Chicago magazine’s list of Top Docs.
The Burn Team received the prestigious 2022 American Burn Association (ABA) Burn Prevention Award and presented three podium presentations and three poster presentations at the ABA Conference.
David W. Chang, MD, won a 2022 Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Best Paper Award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for “Surgical Treatment of Lymphedema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials. Results of a Consensus Conference.” He was recognized on Chicago magazine’s list of Top Docs.
Lawrence J. Gottlieb, MD, received an Excellence in Teaching Award from the Department of Surgery for the 2020–21 academic year. He was recognized on Chicago magazine’s list of Top Docs.
Summer Hanson, MD, PhD, FACS, was elected incoming Secretary of the Plastic Surgery Research Council for the 2022–24 term. She was also selected to chair the Regenerative Medicine Task Force for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Hanson received an APEX Journalism Award for Patient Education for “Breast Reconstruction,” in collaboration with the Plastic Surgery Foundation.
Grigorios A. Lamaris, MD, PhD, passed his board for Hand Surgery and now is triple-boarded in General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Hand Surgery.
Rafael Lee, MD, ScD, DSc (Hon), was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The National Institute of Health (NIH) selected anti-COVID copolymers discovered in Dr. Lee’s laboratory for preclinical testing at the NIH-funded Biodefense Laboratories. Work regarding Preclinical Testing of Proposed Anti-COVID Therapy was patented and funded by the NIH.
Russell R. Reid, MD, PhD, won the Donald Liu Award for Collaborative Achievement at the Department of Pediatrics fifth annual service awards. He was selected as 2021 Editor of the Year for the Journal FACE (Journal of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons). Dr. Reid was also selected for a Comer Development Board Grant for the research project “Saving Face: Molecular, Cellular. and Environmental Factors in Facial Morphogenesis.” He was the 2022 Chair of the Honors and Awards Committee, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
Sebastian Vrouwe, MD, was certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and American Board of Surgery (Surgical Critical Care).
Lawrence S. Zachary, MD, was recognized on Chicago magazine’s list of Top Docs.
faculty promotions
No plastics promotions this year
select publications
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Select Publications
Basu D, Salgado CM, Bauer BS, Hoehl, RM, Moscinski CN Schmitt L, Patel JR, Reyes-Mujica. Histone deacetlyase inhibitor Vorinostat (SAHA) suppresses micropthalmia transcription factor expression and induces cell death in nevocytes from large/giant congenital melanocytic nevi. Melanoma Res. 2021 08 01: 31(4): 319-327. PMID: 34054057.
Garza RM, Beederman M, Chang DW. Physical and Functional Outcomes of Simultaneous Vascularized Lymph Node Transplant and Lymphovenous Bypass in the Treatment of Lymphedema. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2022 Jul 1;150(1):169-180. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009247. PMID: 35583944.
Vigneswaran Y, Bryan AF, Ruhle B, Gottlieb LJ, Alverdy J. Autologous posterior rectus sheath as a vascularized onlay flap: a novel approach to hiatal hernia repair. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 26(1):268-274, 2022 01.
Hanson SE, Garvey PB, Chang EI, Reece GP, Liu J, Baumann DP, Butler CE. A randomized prospective time and motion comparison of techniques to process autologous fat grafts. Plast Reconstr Surg 147(5): 1035-1044. 07/2021. PMID: 33890883.
residents & fellows
View the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Residents and Fellows here.