Dr. Samuel Lin, Program Director of the Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency Program, has dedicated his career to both patient care and training the next generation of surgeons. With years of experience in education and leadership, he plays a key role in shaping residency training and the future of plastic surgery.
In this interview, Dr. Lin shares his journey, thoughts on leadership, and advice for aspiring plastic surgeons. He talks about the challenges of the field, the importance of research, and what it takes to succeed, especially for international medical graduates.
To keep things clear and easy to follow, the interview is presented in a Q&A format.
Dr. Lin’s Path to Becoming a Plastic Surgeon
Q: How did you end up in plastic surgery and as the residency program director at Harvard?
A: Well, it didn’t happen overnight. Thanks for that question. I’ve always been interested in education, the educational process, certainly helping patients, helping folks younger than me, helping folks more senior than me in terms of the whole process of education, teaching, and research. I certainly didn’t set out to be program director one day—it’s something that has happened over time.
Since my time in the Boston area in 2007, I’ve been involved in some form of education and teaching through various roles in our residency program. That started with being a site director, then an associate program director for a number of years, and later transitioning to program director. The process has been long but rewarding, especially seeing residents mature and grow into independent practitioners.
Q: Was this something you always wanted to do?
A: I saw my role models and my own program directors during my residency training and reflected on whether that was something I’d want to do. Everyone has a different take on leadership, but ultimately, the ability to impact and teach others appealed to me. Opportunities presented themselves, and with support and recommendations from others, it became a multi-step process.
For any leadership position, you have to be selfless—it’s not about you. It’s about servant leadership and helping the team and those around you.
Leadership and the Role of a Program Director
Q: You mentioned servant leadership. Can you tell us more about that?
A: There’s nothing I would ask one of my trainees or junior partners to do that I wouldn’t do myself. Of course, at some point, you can’t do everything. It’s about making everyone around you—whether they are junior, peers, or even ahead of you—better. The goal is for all ships to rise together.
Leadership requires a broad view of the team’s needs and understanding how to be both a leader and a team player at the same time.
Q: What experiences shaped your leadership beliefs?
A: There are many books on leadership, but I’ve learned most through interactions with people—observing successful leaders as well as those who struggled. Understanding their thought processes and what could have been improved has been invaluable.
I also pursued a management degree at MIT Sloan, which gave me insight into organizational processes and soft skills beyond the hard sciences. Applying that knowledge to real-world situations has been crucial in understanding how to bring people together and get things done.
One example that stuck with me was from a Navy submarine captain who spoke at a national meeting. He described levels of leadership, ranging from micromanagement to full autonomy. The ideal is a level where individuals know what to do but still check in before proceeding—ensuring they make informed decisions without overburdening leadership. A leader cannot be involved in every single step; that’s impractical.
Challenges and Lessons in Medicine
Q: If you could go back and change something in your career, what would it be?
A: Everything is situational. Of course, we can’t go back in time, but I would have appreciated avoiding some of the mistakes I made. For every success, there are ten things that didn’t go right. Learning from those missteps is invaluable.
Failures are often the most valuable lessons. I truly believe that, and I’ve taken those experiences to approach things differently moving forward.
Q: Many people see your success and assume you haven’t failed. What would you say to them?
A: At the end of the day, my job is taking care of patients. And when you leave medical school and training, it’s your patients—not your mentors—who give you the most real feedback.
If I think about what I could have done differently, it extends across research, grants, manuscripts, and even investments. Everyone makes bad investment decisions at some point. You just take each experience in stride, prepare as much as possible, and keep learning.
The Evolution of Plastic Surgery
Q: You initially planned on going into ENT. How did you transition to plastic surgery?
A: I completed a residency in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. During that time, I became very interested in reconstruction—particularly in head and neck cancer reconstruction, moving tissue from one part of the body to another, and pediatric cases like cleft lip and palate repair. That led me to continue training in plastic surgery to specialize further.
Along the way, I acquired knowledge in other areas like hand and extremity surgery, and plastic surgery’s core principles—like wound healing and vascularity—applied to all regions of the body.
Q: What principles guide plastic surgery techniques?
A: One of the main principles is wound healing—understanding how different parts of the body heal at different rates and how to prevent complications like chronic wounds. Another is blood supply and vascularity—how to move tissue while maintaining its viability.
Plastic surgery applies these principles across the body, whether for reconstructive surgery after trauma or cancer, cosmetic procedures, or even gender confirmation surgery. The field is incredibly broad.
Advice for Aspiring Plastic Surgeons
Q: If you were starting over as an 18-year-old who wanted to become a plastic surgeon, what would you do?
A: I’ve appreciated all my experiences, and I wouldn’t change anything. Training takes time, but I never felt it was wasted.
That said, it’s hard to know at 18 what you want to do for the rest of your life. Medicine evolves, and what you learn in training may not be what you practice. Things move fast now, but back then, I wasn’t thinking about plastic surgery at 18.
Q: For international medical graduates (IMGs) interested in plastic surgery, what advice would you give?
A: Step 1 is now pass/fail, and maybe Step 2 will be someday, so everything else in an application has become more important. There’s no secret formula—it’s your grades, letters of recommendation, rotations, Step scores, and research.
One thing you can control is research. It demonstrates your commitment and gives you something to talk about in interviews. If you’re serious about plastic surgery, you need to be involved in research.
Q: What’s the best way for an IMG to connect with a research mentor in the U.S.?
A: First, try to find someone locally in your hospital, region, or country. You need to confirm that plastic surgery is really what you want before reaching out internationally.
If you’re looking for U.S. research opportunities, organizations like AMO offer structured programs. I actually run a virtual research rotation through AMO that allows participants from anywhere in the world to contribute to systematic reviews. Cold emails don’t work well—faculty get too many of them.
Conclusion
Dr. Lin’s journey shows that success in plastic surgery takes dedication, preparation, and a strong commitment to learning. His leadership approach is all about teamwork, mentorship, and helping others grow. He believes that being a good leader means supporting those around you, not just giving instructions.
For those hoping to become plastic surgeons, his advice is clear: work hard, stay focused, and be open to learning at every stage. Gaining research experience, finding good mentors, and staying curious can make a big difference.
The path isn’t always easy, but with persistence and the right mindset, you can build a successful and fulfilling career.
