Meet Dr. Audrey Nguyen

I have been passionate about art and artistry since childhood, and I found the perfect career to apply my passions through the privilege of providing the art and science of plastic surgery to my patients.

I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of California (UC) Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering. I attended the UC Irvine School of Medicine and graduated first in my class, and I was given the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Graduating Student and The Department of Surgery Award for my outstanding performance during medical school. I completed my residency in Plastic Surgery at UC San Francisco (UCSF), a top tier training program for plastic surgeons.

Early in my training, I won first place in the surgical skills lab competition. At UCSF, I learned the breadth and depth of plastic and reconstructive surgery. I was also the resident lead for the Botox and Injectables Free Clinic where I learned and taught this skill to my peers. I have been nominated for the Honor Roll for the premiere women in surgery group called the Muriel Steele Society at UCSF. I have had excellent training at UCSF, where I continue to serve as a clinical instructor. I currently provide plastic and reconstructive surgery at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where I am honored to serve the veterans of our country. I am also a member of the Muriel Steele Society at UCSF and focus on wellness for women surgeons.

I have extensive research experience with multiple publications in academic journals and textbooks. Now, my research focus is on understanding how the worlds of art and plastic surgery overlap. Studying this relationship is important to providing the best care and results to patients and improving education for future plastic surgeons. I was given a prestigious grant from the Plastic Surgery Foundation and the Association for Surgical Education for my research titled, “Overlapping Worlds of Art and Plastic Surgery: Implications for Surgical Training”, which has also led me to pursue a Master’s in Education at UC Berkeley. I am also a medical illustrator and have published works in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal. I also illustrated for a patient-centered book about breast care and reconstruction during my time at UC Irvine.

Complementary passions for the art of plastic surgery and compassionate patient care have joined me to the person and practice of Dr. James Romano, who has been a mentor since my training. We work together to provide the highest quality plastic surgery.