Clinical Surgical Sciences
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Bachelor of Science degree plan
Program Overview
A focused surgical foundation
This B.S. plan aligns with THECB guidelines and TCCNS conventions while building foundations in soft tissue mechanics, wound healing, microvascular tissue transfer, flap physiology, craniofacial anatomy, burn reconstruction, and aesthetic principles.
120 SCH total
42 SCH Texas Core plus 78 SCH in the major and Plastic & Reconstructive concentration.
Undergraduate preparation
Formal residency and board certification occur after undergraduate study. This track is distinct from Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, and General Surgery.
Four-year degree plan
A 120-SCH undergraduate curriculum organized across eight semesters. PLAS courses in Year 3 and Year 4 are specialized for plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Year 1 Fall · 15 SCH
ENGL 1301 Composition I (3); MATH 2413 Calculus I (4); BIOL 1306/1106 General Biology I & Lab (4); CHEM 1311/1111 General Chemistry I & Lab (4).
Year 1 Spring · 16 SCH
ENGL 1302 Composition II (3); BIOL 1307/1107 General Biology II & Lab (4); CHEM 1312/1112 General Chemistry II & Lab (4); HIST 1301 United States History I (3); UNIV 1101 Surgical Sciences First-Year Seminar (1).
Year 2 Fall · 16 SCH
CHEM 2323/2123 Organic Chemistry I & Lab (4); PHYS 1401 College Physics I: Mechanics & Fluids (4); GOVT 2305 Federal Government (3); PSYC 2301 General Psychology (3); PLAS 2201 Fundamentals of Plastic Surgery Terminology & Tissue Biology (2).
Year 2 Spring · 15 SCH
CHEM 2325/2125 Organic Chemistry II & Lab (4); PHYS 1402 College Physics II: Electromagnetism & Optics (4); GOVT 2306 Texas Government (3); HIST 1302 United States History II (3); PHIL 2306 Bioethics, Body Image, & Informed Consent in Reconstructive Surgery (1 SCH, or 3 SCH depending on elective distribution).
Year 3 Fall · 15 SCH
BIOL 3416 Advanced Head, Neck, & Integumentary Cadaveric Anatomy I (4); PLAS 3310 Tissue Regeneration, Grafting, & Wound Healing (3); PLAS 3320 Microvascular Surgery & Free Tissue Transfer Mechanics (3); MATH 3339 Biostatistics & Surgical Outcomes Research (3); HUMA 1301 Creative Arts Core (3).
Year 3 Spring · 15 SCH
BIOL 3417 Advanced Extremity & Trunk Soft Tissue Anatomy II (4); PLAS 3330 Craniofacial Surgery & Congenital Anomalies (3); PLAS 3340 Burn Surgery, Resuscitation, & Tissue Expansion (3); BIOC 4301 General Biochemistry (3); PLAS 3205 Advanced Suture Techniques & Tissue Handling Practicum Lab (2).
Year 4 Fall · 14 SCH
PLAS 4310 Post-Oncologic Reconstruction: Breast, Head & Neck (3); PLAS 4320 Aesthetic & Body Contouring Surgical Mechanics (3); PLAS 4330 Peripheral Nerve, Hand, & Upper Extremity Reconstruction (3); PLAS 4250 Micro-Anastomosis Simulation & Surgical Instrumentation (2); BIOL 4310 Immunobiology of Skin Grafting & Transplant Rejection (3).
Year 4 Spring · 14 SCH
PLAS 4401 Plastic & Reconstructive Operating Room & Clinical Rotation Practicum (4); PLAS 4340 Maxillofacial Trauma & Soft Tissue Reconstruction (3); PLAS 4350 Scar Management, Tissue Engineering, & Biomaterials (3); PLAS 4490 Senior Capstone: Complex Reconstructive Case Analysis & Morbidity/Mortality Review (4).
Next Step
Start your application
Prepare for advanced study in plastic and reconstructive surgery through a rigorous undergraduate degree plan.