The Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation Elects Robert Whitfield, MD as its New President

The Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF) announced the election of Robert Whitfield, MD, a plastic surgeon practicing in West Lake Hills, Texas as its new President. Dr. Whitfield is an aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. ASERF is the philanthropic research and education arm of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery(The Aesthetic Society). As President of ASERF, Dr. Whitfield plans to continue work on initiatives including extensive research pertaining to Breast Implant Illness (BII) and other breast implant-related issues, following The Aesthetic Society's and ASERF's recent successes with presentations pertaining to these important issues at the FDA hearings earlier this year.

To further BII research, Dr. Whitfield has established a BII Study Task Force, of which he is Co-Chair alongside ASERF's Immediate Past-President, Julio Garcia, MD. Seeing the BII research study to completion is Dr. Whitfield's primary goal for the year ahead, in order to better serve and inform patients with scientifically sound information related to BII and other breast implant-related issues as well. In pursuit of this goal, the 2018 -- 2019 ASERF Board of Directors approved funding for the research portion of the new Aesthetic Neural Network (ANN) Mobile application. Developed by AnzuMedical, ANN Mobile will allow The Aesthetic Society and ASERF member plastic surgeons to participate in ASERF research studies through surveys and the provision of clinical data via the app. (ANN is a comprehensive data collection and standardization product developed to bolster research and collaborate in data-sharing with other registries and entities for a variety of beneficial purposes).

"Funding development of the app was a decision that was especially important to me as we prepare our BII study," stated Dr. Whitfield. "Patient and plastic surgeon-reported data will provide us with deeper insights into what these patients are going through and allow us to better inform them into the future --- not only regarding BII, but about a variety of topics relevant to the field of aesthetic plastic surgery."

"My tenure as President of ASERF has been a much more rewarding and larger task than I had imagined, but I am glad to say that I am confident in handing Dr. Whitfield the reins," notes Julio Garcia MD, Immediate Past-President of ASERF. "Dr. Whitfield dove head-first into the incredible task of collecting data and initiating a BII research study to guide ASERF in informing both The Aesthetic Society and our patients. With a focus on patient safety, I look forward to Dr. Whitfield's year ahead with ASERF."

ASERF works diligently each year to select the best grant applications, as well as fund directed research projects that will most greatly impact the sub-specialty of aesthetic plastic surgery. If you would like to support the mission, you may donate here. ASERF is grateful to those who have given and hopes that with continued support we will be able to further our mission for years to come.