The Duke University Division of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery is a diverse, vibrant, and focused team that provides some of the most complex and technically demanding surgical care in the hospital. You will find that the scope of plastic surgery at Duke encompasses operations from head to toe on a broad spectrum of patients in both the emergency and elective settings. Duke has a long history of innovation and excellence in the field, and is considered a global leader in plastic and reconstructive surgery. We are proud of our unique skillset and hope that we can pass on some of these skills to our visiting rotators.
Our sub-internship is primarily meant to expose you to the full breadth of plastic and reconstructive surgery—from pediatric to geriatric, and from cosmetic surgery to complex microvascular reconstruction. Whether in the operating room, clinic, or emergency room, we want you to have an authentic plastic surgical experience—a “day in the life” of a busy plastic surgery service. You will see fascinating operations and actively participate in the care of our patients before and after. We hope to help you both sharpen your technical skills in the operating room and refine your critical thinking and mental approach to patient care. All rotators attend conferences with us, including Grand Rounds, resident didactics, journal club and special seminars or courses that fall during your rotation. Students can expect to spend two weeks on the Duke North reconstructive service, one week on the craniofacial trauma and pediatric service, and one week on flex, which often includes spending time with the team in Raleigh and the hand surgery team at Arrington.
Interested in applying?
If you are interested in applying for a sub-internship please email our academic program manager Christine Duke at christine.g.duke@duke.edu.
Geoffroy Sisk, MD
Student Director
Christine Duke
Clerkship Coordinator
Applications for 2025 should include:
- CV
- Medical School transcript
- USMLE results
- Personal Statement
- Mentor Letter of Recommendation
Underrepresented in Medicine Scholarship
We also offer an underrepresented minority scholarship opportunity.
Eligibility requirements
- Student must be in their fourth year of medical school
- Student’s home medical school must have an established affiliation agreement with Duke
- Student must be a member of a traditionally underrepresented minority in plastic surgery including Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin; Black or African American; American Indian or Alaskan Native; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; or other (please specify).
Application should include
- CV
- Short statement (250 words maximum) on your interest in the scholarship
- Unofficial student transcript (please do not pay for one, if you are selected you will send an official one through VSLO)
- USMLE Step scores
Please note on your application if you would still like to be considered for a sub-internship if you are not selected for the scholarship: Duke requires that students selected for the scholarship still process though VSLO prior to rotating with us. Because of this, we recommend that everyone interested in completing a sub-internship regardless of scholarship status apply through VSLO as well. During the selection process, your VSLO and scholarship applications will be combined.
If you would not like to be considered for a Duke PSU sub-internship UNLESS you receive the scholarship, do not apply through VSLO and you will be notified of your scholarship once a decision has been made.
A few important notes
- We must have a current affiliation agreement with your school; no new affiliations are being established.
- You will not be officially approved to rotate with us until your completed VSLO application is submitted and approved by our registrar’s office at Duke.
- Financial support will be awarded in the form of reimbursement for reasonable costs associated with travel and living expenses associated with this educational experience and in compliance with Duke reimbursement policies. We anticipate that the typical award in aggregate would range from $2000–$5000.
- Applications are due March 1, 2023
Completed applications and any questions may be sent to Christine Duke at christine.g.duke@duke.edu.