AAFPRS Fellowship Program
Premier Image Cosmetic & Laser Surgery is one of the few practices in the United States that offers a prestigious fellowship program under the auspices of the Educational and Research Foundation for the AAFPRS, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc. The medical community widely respects the AAFPRS Foundation fellowship program and represents the finest postgraduate program in the world for training facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons.
Since its beginning in 1969, the program has trained more than 1200 highly specialized experts to be educators and leaders in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. These individuals and their directors have performed a tremendous service to the AAFPRS and the specialty through developing and disseminating new procedures, improving patient care, refining surgical techniques, and promoting confidence and respect in the specialty.
FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY TRAINING IN ATLANTA, GA
Fellowship Director for the AAFPRS
Dr. Louis M. DeJoseph, has been a Fellowship Director for the AAFPRS for over 20 years and trains young physicians in the artistry and facial surgical techniques he has developed and refined over the years. Fellowship directors are recognized authorities in the teaching and practice of facial plastic surgery. They are formally affiliated with an accredited postgraduate medical training program.
Prior to coming for their fellowship year at our practice, our fellowship physicians received their medical degrees and completed their internship and residency program. Before setting up their practice, the physicians chose to spend an additional year under the instruction and guidance of Dr. DeJoseph.
The objectives of the fellowship program
- Provide an outstanding academic opportunity for the acquisition of specialized knowledge and skills in facial plastic surgery
- Develop trained specialists who will contribute to the ongoing development of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Foster development of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery educators, especially in residency programs
- Encourage the development of new skills and knowledge in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery through basic research and clinical trials.
Dr. Lauren Welby
Dr. Welby grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri for undergraduate where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology and minored in Art. Her study of art helped cultivate an appreciation for aesthetics that ultimately inspired her passion for facial plastic surgery. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Medicine also from the University of Missouri, graduating at the top of her class.
She then completed five years of residency training in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Temple, TX, in addition to serving on the Hospital Quality and Patient Safety Committee and Council of Residents and Fellows. She also received awards from patients, faculty, and medical students for outstanding patient care and teaching. During medical school and residency, Dr. Welby’s research focused on facial nerve injury.
Following residency, Dr. Welby was selected for advanced fellowship training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery under the mentorship of Dr. DeJoseph at Premier Image. Alongside her fellowship, she serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Emory University and a Clinical Instructor at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where she trains Emory otolaryngology residents and provides care for veterans.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Welby enjoys exploring Georgia with her husband, traveling the world, and interior design. Upon completion of her fellowship, she plans to return to St. Louis to continue her career in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
| Fellow | Current Office Location | Fellowship Years |
|---|---|---|
| Anurag Agarwal, MD | Naples, FL | 2004 – 2005 |
| Burke Eleyet Chegar, MD | Carmel, IN | 2005 – 2006 |
| Matthew J. Dickson, MD | Queensbury, NY | 2006 – 2007 |
| Raghu Sudarshan Athre, MD | Houston, TX | 2007 – 2008 |
| Giancarlo F. Zuliani, MD | Rochester, MI | 2008 – 2009 |
| Jason Cliff Lichtenberger, MD | Bellingham, WA | 2009 – 2010 |
| Sean Richard Weiss, MD | New Orleans, LA | 2010 – 2011 |
| Johnny Chun-Wei Mao, MD | Orange, CT | 2011 – 2012 |
| Shivan H. Amin, MD | Atlanta, GA | 2012 – 2013 |
| Danny J. Soares, MD | Fruitland Park, FL | 2013 – 2014 |
| Kyle T. Yamamoto, MD | Reno, NV | 2014 – 2015 |
| Daniel J. Liebertz, MD | Kirkland, WA | 2015 – 2016 |
| Hardik K. Doshi, MD | New York, NY | 2016 – 2017 |
| Helen A. Moses, MD | Columbia, SC | 2017 – 2018 |
| Jason D. Pou, MD | Jefferson, LA | 2018 – 2019 |
| Nikunj A. Rana, MD | Frisco, TX | 2019 – 2020 |
| Houmehr Hojjat, MD | Irvine, CA | 2020 – 2021 |
| Cory Bovenzi, MD | Centennial, CO | 2021 – 2022 |
| Tyler McElwee, MD | Houston, TX | 2022 – 2023 |
| Albert Yang, MD | Jacksonville, FL | 2023 – 2024 |
| Nicholas Clark, MD | Oklahoma City, OK | 2024-2025 |
| Alexandra Michalowski, MD | New York City, NY | 2025 – 2026 |