Here’s to the Next 80 Years of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery!

Happy 80th anniversary to the Journal (Fig. 1), and what an amazing time it is for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery! With deep humility and appreciation for the impact of this position, I began my tenure on January 9, 2026, as the eighth editor-in-chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS). I am deeply indebted to the many individuals of the search committee and to the Board of Directors of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, who have shown confidence in my abilities to shepherd this storied Journal through its next term. First, I want to look back at the impact of my 7 predecessors and their accomplishments to bring us to the current day. As Sir Isaac Newton wrote in 1675, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” and these giants have helped shaped the field of plastic surgery into what it is today.Fig. 1.: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 80th anniversary.Warren B. Davis (editor-in-chief from 1946 to 1947) matriculated from Jefferson Medical College (1906 to 1910) and completed his ear, nose, and throat residency there. Dr. Davis (Fig. 2) was editor from 1946 until his passing in 1947. His primary research focus was related to otolaryngology. As a plastic surgery pioneer, with innovations in cleft palate surgery, he created an osteoplastic flap repair of the cleft palate. As the first editor of PRS, Dr. Davis was a professor at Jefferson Medical College and started his own practice in 1913, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jefferson Plastic Surgery still exists today and is the oldest plastic surgery practice in the United States.Fig. 2.: Prof. Dr. Warren B. Davis. (Reprinted with permission from Goldwyn R. The early history of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008;121:1489–1498.)Robert H. Ivy (editor-in-chief from 1947 to 1965) (Fig. 3) attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry (1902) and School of Medicine (1907). He completed plastic surgery residency at the Episcopal Hospital of Philadelphia (1907 to 1910) and was the editor of PRS from 1947 to 1965. His primary research focus was the cleft palate. The world-renowned Ivy loop, named after him, is a frequently used dental loop for intermaxillary fixation in maxillary fractures. His surgical experience in World War I was so influential that he was the first physician in the United States to be titled “Professor of Plastic Surgery.” He made strides to advocate for plastic surgery as a distinct specialty.Fig. 3.: Prof. Dr. Robert H. Ivy. (Reprinted with permission from Goldwyn R. The early history of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008;121:1489–1498.)Kathryn Lyle Stephenson (editor-in-chief from 1965 to 1967) (Fig. 4) matriculated through the University of Kansas Medical School (1941). Between 1942 and 1943, she served as an assistant resident in medicine at Royal Victoria Hospital, in Montreal, Canada. In 1944, she started her career in plastic surgery as the Earl C. Padgett Research Fellow in Plastic Surgery. Dr. Stephenson wrote on a range of topics in plastic surgery. She was the first female board-certified plastic surgeon (1950) and the first woman to join the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (1951). Dr. Stephenson was also a founding member and president (from 1967 to 1968) of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Stephenson donated her documents to the National Archives of Plastic Surgery at Countway Library at Harvard Medical School, where they remain.Fig. 4.: Dr. Kathryn L. Stephenson. (Reprinted with permission from Nagel GP. Kathryn Lyle Stephenson, M.D., 1912–1993. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1995;95:618.)Frank McDowell (editor-in-chief from 1967 to 1979) (Fig. 5) attended medical school at Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by his plastic surgery residency just across the city’s Forest Park, at Barnes Hospital. Dr. McDowell was known as a historical preservationist of plastic surgery, writing books and analyzing classic surgical texts to categorize and catalog the plastic surgery global literature. With Dr. James Barrett Brown, Dr. McDowell wrote on their experience with autologous fascia lata in treating patients with facial paralysis in 1948, in Annals of Surgery. With his wartime experience, he helped advance plastic surgery techniques for trauma, burn, and head and neck reconstruction.Fig. 5.: Prof. Dr. Frank McDowell. (Reprinted with permission from Goldwyn R. The early history of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008;121:1489–1498.)Robert M. Goldwyn (editor-in-chief from 1979 to 2005) (Fig. 6) went to Harvard Medical School and completed general and plastic surgery residencies at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now known as Brigham and Women’s Hospital). He was professor and chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Beth Israel Hospital, now Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. As the longest-tenured PRS editor, Dr. Goldwyn focused on long-term results, reconstructive surgery of the breast, and reduction mammaplasty, and wrote editorials on the relationship between patients and physicians and work-life balance, among other insights. Dr. Goldwyn was also well known for his humanitarian work. In 1960, he worked with Nobel laureate Albert Schweitzer, in Lamberéné, Gabon, where he was remembered not just for his efficiency but for his kindness.Fig. 6.: Prof. Dr. Robert M. Goldwyn. (Reprinted with permission from Haeck PC, Hait P. Into the twenty-first century: the history of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons from 1995 to 2006. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006;118(Suppl):2S–31S.)Dr. Goldwyn used his writing skill and lots of humor to help others navigate the emotional challenges of medicine. His humorous observations of everyday practice illustrate the collective frustrations encountered in plastic surgery and allowed generations of surgeons to find lighter moments in their daily lives. As a brand-new attending in practice, I had the pleasure and honor of being in conference with Dr. Goldwyn every week for my first year. Everything that Dr. Goldwyn said in conference was an observation born from decades of experience, and certainly many ideas for manuscripts also came from him every week. One of my favorite Goldwyn-isms, which I frequently credit to him, is “everyone is someone.” Rod J. Rohrich (editor-in-chief from 2005 to 2021) (Fig. 7) matriculated through the Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas, and completed his plastic surgery residency at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. After fellowships in Boston, Massachusetts, and Oxford, United Kingdom, he became chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. A dynamic leader and consummate educator, Dr. Rohrich contributed to much in plastic surgery, with a focus on patient safety, rhinoplasty, fat grafting of the face, and aesthetic facial surgery. He is a founding member and past president of The Rhinoplasty Society and started the first North American plastic surgery open access journal, PRS Global Open. Dr. Rohrich and his wife, Dr. Diane Gibby, were named honorary co-chairs of the Dallas for Children Foundation, which assists in early childhood development programs for underprivileged children. He was also an early adopter of social media for the Journal.Fig. 7.: Prof. Dr. Rod J. Rohrich. (Reprinted with permission from Rohrich RJ, Weinstein AG, Stuzin James. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at 75: stronger, better, and always changing. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2021;147:249–257.)I credit Dr. Rohrich with my start with the Journal many years ago as a young staff member and have much gratitude for his continued support. If only we could all require less than 5 hours of daily rest, perhaps I could certainly be more productive! Kevin C. Chung (editor-in-chief from 2022 to 2025) (Fig. 8) went to Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta, Georgia, and completed his general surgery residency at the University of Texas at San Antonio, plastic surgery residence at the University of Michigan, and hand surgery residency at the Curtis National Hand Center, in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Chung is the editor of Grabb and Smith’s Plastic Surgery, Eighth and Ninth editions, and editor for the textbook Hand Surgery Operative Technique, Fourth Edition. He has over 25 years of National Institutes of Health funding and has received multiple R01 grants for a multicenter clinical trial on the rheumatoid hand. During his term, Dr. Chung led several initiatives for the Journal, including efficiencies in the editorial process and publish-ahead-of-print option for authors, which was a major step.Fig. 8.: Prof. Dr. Kevin C. Chung. (Reprinted with permission from Kevin C. Chung, MD.)I have known Dr. Chung professionally and personally for many years. I have never seen a colleague answer emails faster and more efficiently than he does. At the same time, he always has a kind word of encouragement, and I am very grateful for his support during the transition earlier this year and his continued counsel. The Journal is an amazing editorial machine that has been built and maintained over many, many years of experience, knowledge, and expectation. Much credit and gratitude go to the amazing efforts of Aaron Weinstein, editorial director, and the rest of the Journal staff. My goals as editor-in-chief are simple: I aim to present the most clinically relevant, high-impact, and latest information that is practice-changing for you, the PRS readership. I want every article to move the needle and be as meaningful as possible. In that same vein, every article type that PRS includes should have an impact, from original articles to ideas and innovations to viewpoints. Every monthly edition of PRS, in printed and online forms, carries our colleagues’ experience and ideas from around the world. Manuscripts of all types are submitted in various forms, and it is the peer-review process that makes each manuscript better. Similar to grant submissions, we can all improve our writing and its subsequent impact. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a readily available tool that is constantly and rapidly changing. I did not use ChatGPT to write this editorial, though by the time this article makes it into press, another version of our daily AI platform of choice is likely to have been updated. AI has its pitfalls and challenges, but there are also opportunities in publishing to harness this new tool for the good of authors, reviewers, editorial staff, and editors. Know that the Journal staff and I are working constantly to implement AI initiatives for PRS, though good things take time. It is time for the Journal and publishing houses to continue embracing AI ethically and effectively for all stakeholders. I thank the PRS reviewers wholeheartedly for their continued service and passion, and I cannot thank them enough for sharing their insights. I am continually impressed by the care, dedication, and effort that reviewers place into each paper. It is clear that they care about the Journal and hold it in the highest esteem, and for that I am entirely grateful. Having reviewed manuscripts for several journals over many years, I know that it can seem to be a job without much recognition. I know how important it is, and it is truly an honor to be able to see your new ideas and passion while assessing these ideas individually in shaping the field that we all cherish: plastic surgery. DISCLOSURE The author has no financial relationships relevant to this editorial.