By Linda Satter
Sunlight streamed through full-length glass windows into the sixth-floor reception area of the new University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Plastic Surgery Clinic in the Freeway Medical Tower, adding an element of warmth on an otherwise cold day.
It was Feb. 13, the perfect day for a three-hour Open House that provided members of the public and UAMS employees with an up-close look at the newly refurbished, light-filled space.
Visitors toured the seven exam rooms, the large procedure room and the consult and triage spaces while nibbling on snacks and visiting with two of the three surgeons who work at the clinic as well as advanced practice providers and staff members.
The clinic opened without fanfare Dec. 18, 2024, occupying 4,365 square feet on the sixth floor and cementing UAMS’ heavy presence in the building, which also houses other UAMS clinics and offices.
Located only blocks from UAMS’ main campus, it is well-equipped and spacious, allowing the Department of Surgery’s Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to consolidate its longtime reconstructive surgery services and its more recent cosmetic and aesthetic procedures, as well as wound care, in a central location.
The aesthetic and cosmetic services, previously located at a clinic in west Little Rock, are now available at this new clinic. Aesthetic surgery will be provided at UAMS’ surgical suite in the Premier Medical Plaza in Little Rock, while reconstructive surgeries will continue to take place on UAMS’ main campus.
“UAMS Health is committed to providing exceptional care to the people of Arkansas and beyond, and our plastic surgery group is no exception to that,” Patterson said. “They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provide an impressive array of services.”
While UAMS has provided plastic and reconstructive surgery for many years, Patterson said, “It may not be as well-known that we also provide aesthetic care. This will be game changer for UAMS and the people of the state of Arkansas.”
“This is monumental for the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery,” agreed James Yuen, M.D., division chief.
He said that having a dedicated space with room to expand “is in line with our evolving landscape,” and that the workspace has an efficient design that helps provide optimal patient care.
Patients appreciate the clinic’s convenient location just off the interstate and the easy access to parking, Yuen said. “Our patients are much happier at this location. This will help us support world-class care for many years to come.”
Yuen said he has long wanted to establish a top-notch training program for plastic surgeons, particularly in reconstructive surgery, where there is a “great shortage” of surgeons, and he expects the clinic to help him recruit faculty and residents for the program.
Michelle Krause, M.D., senior vice chancellor for UAMS Health and CEO for UAMS Medical Center, said that when another medical group vacated the space, making it available, she immediately began lobbying UAMS administrators to secure it for the plastic surgery clinic.
“Now we can say that we have a well-rounded, all-encompassing plastic surgery program at UAMS,” she said.
David Sterling, M.D., a specialist in cosmetic plastic surgery who has been at UAMS for about 18 months, said he is thrilled to find a long-term landing spot.
“For many years before I came, Drs. Yuen and Wolter have been performing essential plastic surgery services to our community,” Sterling said, referring to Yuen and Keith Wolter, M.D., Ph.D., the other two physicians at the clinic. “They have helped breast cancer survivors feel whole again, and they have helped heal wounds that nobody else could. We are now truly full-service.”
“I think one thing we offer that nobody else in town does is our unique connection to UAMS,” he added. “I think being at UAMS allows us to offer these services in the safest way possible.”
The team is the largest group of plastic surgeons providing breast cancer reconstruction in the state. The cosmetic services provided include face and neck lifts, rhinoplasty (nose surgery), eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, breast lifts or reductions, body contouring (abdominoplasty, arm lifts, thigh lifts, body lifts), fat grafting and liposuction. The clinic also offers nonsurgical treatments such as Botox, fillers, chemical peels and medical-grade skin care products.
