Fellowship in General Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery January-July 2027 (6 months)

The Fellowship in General Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery at Tampere University Hospital is aimed at young consultants and residents in the final year of their training. The goal of the fellowship is to expose the fellow to all aspects of our clinical work, including research activities.

The fellowship program allows trainees to scrub in and actively participate in surgical procedures. The Tampere Surgical Education Center provides modern wet lab facilities for cadaver training. Fellows may also contribute to scientific work in collaboration with existing research groups in Plastic Surgery.

Who We Are

Tampere University Hospital serves a population of 1.3 million people in central Finland. The Department of Plastic Surgery includes 10 consultant and 3 resident positions.

Our hospital is a major Trauma Centre and Sarcoma Centre, both of which require frequent involvement from plastic surgeons. Head and neck reconstructions are performed in collaboration with the ENT department. Breast reconstruction, skin cancer surgery, treatment of soft tissue infections, minor burns, and oculoplastic cases are routinely managed. In addition, we host the largest wound care department in the country, operating with a multidisciplinary team approach.

We perform approximately 140–150 microsurgical procedures annually, including major reconstructions following gynecological and gastrointestinal tumor resections.

We do not perform cleft lip or other major congenital malformation surgery, nor do we offer cosmetic surgery at Tampere University Hospital. A highly active Hand Surgery Department is located on the same premises as the Plastic Surgery Department. Daily collaboration with traumatologists and orthopedic surgeons takes place, as we share both ward and office facilities.

Program Structure

The fellow will participate in a wide range of plastic surgery procedures, including elective day surgery (reduction mammaplasty, oculoplastic surgery, skin cancer surgery), post-bariatric surgery, elective microsurgery (free flap breast reconstruction, microvascular lymph node transfer, lymphovenous anastomosis), oncoplastic surgery (head and neck cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer), complex trauma and orthoplastic surgery (open fractures, delayed reconstructions with the orthoplastic team, bone infections), and the management of chronic wounds and diabetic foot conditions.

Each day begins with a virtual ward round at 7.50 a.m. Weekly scientific meetings are held on Fridays, with multidisciplinary team meetings for head and neck cases on Mondays and sarcoma cases on Thursdays. Supervised wet lab training is incorporated into the schedule.

Open for Applications

Applications are now open for the next fellowship period beginning in January 2027.

The fellowship provides a monthly compensation of €1,708.41. Additional funding from external sources, such as scholarships, may be beneficial. Assistance in finding accommodation in Tampere will be provided. Fellows are entitled to two days of paid vacation per month.

Applications and letters of recommendation must be submitted by 31 May 2026. Selection decisions will be made by 31 July 2026.

Inquiries

Ilkka Kaartinen, MD, PhD Associate Professor
Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery Tampere University Hospital
ilkka.kaartinen@pirha.fi