Soto (middle), Dr. Fix (left), and Dr. King (right)UAB Heersink School of Medicine student and Department of Surgery mentee Edgar Soto (MS3), won the prestigious American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) Cannon Scholarship to attend the centennial meeting in early April. Soto was a former UAB Surgery STREAMS student and a TL-1 grant winner.

To nurture medical student interest in plastic surgery, senior AAPS members meet to sponsor at least five medical students to attend the AAPS annual meeting. Sponsorship includes free registration, meals normally supplied during the meeting to attendees, and two nights in the host hotel.

Along with winning the highly-competitive scholarship, Soto presented his research on microsurgical pedicle extension conducted with Division of Plastic Surgery Associate Professor René Myers, M.D., who was inducted as a new member to the association at the meeting.

Membership in the association is considered a high honor in the plastic surgery community. In the past, just a small handful of faculty members from UAB have had the distinction to call themselves members of the AAPS, including Jorge de la Torre, M.D., Jobe Fix, M.D., and Luis Vasconez, M.D., among others.

As a member, Myers will support the AAPS in their efforts to advance the science and art of plastic surgery through surgical education, research, scientific presentations, and professional interaction.

The American Association of Plastic Surgeons, founded in 1921, is the oldest organized plastic surgery organization in the world. The purpose of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons is to advance the science and art of plastic surgery through surgical education, research, scientific presentations, and professional interaction.