Mayo Clinic Partnership

There is no greater honor than being an educator. Dr. Shapiro is an Assistant Professor in Plastic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic and is humbled to have held the title of Director of Aesthetic Surgical Training for the Mayo Clinic Rochester Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Program, a division of the medical center, which is consistently ranked the best hospital in the nation.

Dr. Shapiro, The Director

In 2016, Dr. Shapiro was recruited by Dr. Samir Mardini (the current Chief of Plastic Surgery at Mayo Clinic Rochester, and a world-renowned microsurgeon and face transplant surgeon) to be the Director of Aesthetic Surgical Training. This decision was based upon Dr. Shapiro’s long and distinguished career, having performed many thousands of meticulously executed cosmetic surgical procedures with consistent and enviable results.

Training the Next Generation of Aesthetic Surgeons

In 2021, Dr. Shapiro was promoted to the rank of “Adjunct Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery”. This academic achievement was provided by his colleagues for his growing contributions to the scholarly activities of the Mayo Clinic Institution. This opportunity allows 5th and 6th-year plastic surgery residents to travel from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to our practice for a three-month rotation. During this time, Dr. Shapiro educates them on all aspects of cosmetic surgery, including the development of an artistic aesthetic perspective and astute surgical judgment, along with the nuances of patient interactions and care.

In addition to their studies at our private practice, Dr. Shapiro makes trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where he is able to continue to educate the residents by lecturing and teaching in the cadaver lab. During these trips, teachings are aided by visualizations and instruction where Dr. Shapiro’s expertise in facial rejuvenation and rhinoplasty procedures are able to be practiced first-hand. These studies are what lay the foundation for the aesthetic surgeons of tomorrow. His trips otherwise consist of resident graduations and lectures as a Visiting Professor.

Recipient of the “John E. Woods, Teacher of the Year Award”

Dr. Shapiro is especially honored to have received the “John E. Woods, Teacher of the Year Award” in 2018, an honor given each year by the residents to the plastic surgical instructor who had most impacted their training over the course of the last 12 months.

Giving Back to the International Community

There are many altruistic opportunities that present themselves through our partnership with the Mayo Clinic. It is with humble honor that Dr. Shapiro is invited to travel yearly with select Mayo Clinic instructors and plastic surgical residents to international countries to treat a high volume of patients with cleft lip, cleft palate, and pediatric deformities. During his last trip, Dr. Shapiro, Dr. Mardini and their team were able to operate on more than 45 children.

The incredible impact that these acts of kindness have on the children and their entire families cannot be overstated, and the entire experience provides valuable and life-changing experiences for everyone involved. The teaching position at the Mayo Clinic Rochester Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Program is a very important aspect of Dr. Shapiro’s life, and he cherishes the relationships and personal bonds that he has forged with residents and attendings alike, with the ensuing professional collaboration that elevates the entire field of plastic surgery.