Resident-Run Clinic for Nonsurgical Injectable Facial Aesthetics: A 5-Year Institutional Experience

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Aesthetic Medicine
• Medical Education

Background:

• Resident-run clinics (RRCs) are integral to plastic surgery training.
• This study focuses on a 5-year evaluation of a neuromodulator and soft tissue filler RRC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess clinical outcomes and patient retention in RRCs.
• To evaluate resident experience across postgraduate year (PGY) levels.
• To determine the safety and efficacy of RRCs as a training model for aesthetic injectables.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of RRC patient data from January 2020 to September 2024.
• Analysis of demographics, injectable type, anatomical location, revision rates, complication rates, patient retention, and surgical conversion.
• Comparison of revision rates based on resident postgraduate year (PGY).

Main Results:

• 380 patients (1168 encounters) were analyzed, with 92.1% female patients and a mean age of 41.
• Neuromodulator and filler treatments constituted the majority of encounters (55.3% and 20.9%, respectively).
• Low overall complication rate (0.17%) and manageable revision rate (5.2%), with revisions decreasing as PGY advanced. High patient return rate (65%) and surgical conversion rate (5.5%).

Conclusions:

• Nonsurgical RRCs provide a secure and effective training environment for aesthetic injectables.
• The RRC model supports progressive resident autonomy while maintaining low complication and revision rates.
• Outcomes in RRCs are comparable to other practice settings, validating their role in training.