Dr. Vahidi’s reasons for choosing medicine as a career are inspirational, to say the least. He starts this story by sharing the following thoughts. “My pathway into medicine was not too dissimilar from other children of immigrants. Both of my parents were born and raised in Iran, along with most of my immediate family. During the 1979 Iranian revolution, there was significant turmoil and civil unrest, which forced many people from their homes. My parents were no exception and had to flee during the revolution due to religious persecution and violence. Their early years were not easy by any means, but they eventually found their way to the United States and created a new life.”
Dr. Vahidi continues, “I believe the thread that binds most children with this shared experience is a sense of duty and a desire for excellence. Witnessing hardship is a strong motivator and a driving force not only to ease the hardships of others, but also to position yourself as a provider for your family and community. Medicine, then, becomes a vehicle by which you exercise those desires.”
“My parents settled outside of Washington, D.C. in the Northern Virginia area so most of my education occurred in Virginia, starting with college at Virginia Tech, where I pursued a degree in Biochemistry. I then completed a post-baccalaureate program at the National Institute of Health where I performed translational research. Following my post-baccalaureate, I returned to medical school at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and after medical school, I completed an Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery residency at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond.”
When asked why facial plastic surgery became his chosen specialty, Dr. Vahidi shared,
“My ability to pursue facial plastic surgery as a career was largely due to good fortune and appropriate timing. I knew I was interested in surgery, but it was challenging for me as a medical student to differentiate the various surgical specialties. Just by chance, I happened to come across otolaryngology/head and neck surgery. At the time, my medical school was relatively new and we didn’t have a formal otolaryngology department which, of course, provided challenges, but also afforded me a unique experience. I had the opportunity to work very closely with the faculty, especially, my facial plastic surgery mentor, Dr. Joshua Farrar, who provided me with tremendous insight and guidance at that time to navigate my career.”
“In residency, I was fortunate to have two complimentary facial plastic surgery mentors in Dr. Michael Godin and Dr. Thomas Lee, who supplied me with the foundational components of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. After working with those wonderful surgeons, I knew I had found my surgical path and pursued an AAFPRS fellowship at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, with Drs. Amar Suryadevara and Sherard Tatum. These two gifted and inspiring surgeons helped to solidify my interest in the specialty and steered me into the nuanced aspects of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery,” notes Dr. Vahidi.
After his fellowship, Dr. Vahidi started working as faculty in the Otolaryngology Department at Virginia Commonwealth University as well as practicing in the Richmond community. He hopes to use this complementary approach to provide a broad and comprehensive patient care experience. “I hope to be performing the full spectrum of cosmetic and reconstructive facial plastic surgery,” says Dr. Vahidi. “One of the most appealing aspects of facial plastic surgery is the wide scope of practice, including rhinoplasty, maxillofacial trauma, craniofacial surgery, facial rejuvenation, facial reanimation, and microvascular surgery. The interplay between form and function affords our specialty a unique ability to introduce creativity and innovation.”
Dr. Catherine P. Winslow, ABFPRS President, offered the following: “Aristotle said that excellence is never an accident. Dr. Jack Anderson helped create our specialty’s standard of excellence via ABFPRS certification for new and existing facial plastic surgeons who are dedicated to providing the highest surgical outcomes for their patients. Even though he is no longer with us, I know Dr. Anderson would be incredibly proud of Dr. Vahidi for achieving the highest score on the 2024 ABFPRS exam. The ABFPRS Board of Directors and I wish him every success as he advances his career and completes ABFPRS certification.”
The 2025 examination will be given June 28-29 in Washington, D.C. If you have any questions regarding future examinations or completing certification requirements, please feel free to contact the ABFPRS office by emailing: info@abfprs.org or calling (703) 549-3223.