About Us
Our
Story
Founded in 2021
The Latino/a Plastic Surgery Society was founded with the purpose of creating a network of Latino and Latina plastic surgeons and to help students aspiring to join the field.
Not everyone grows up with a surgeon role model that looks like them, and through this society, we aim to show that there are no limits to how far you can go.
We are always open to new ideas and ways to innovate and increase diversity in a field where Latinos compose less than 4%.
Meet The Team
Michael Galvez, MD
Founder
Dr. Michael Galvez is a is a board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with specialized training in pediatric hand and upper extremity. He completed his plastic surgery residency at Stanford and Hand and Microvascular Fellowship and the University of Washington. Dr. Galvez also completed a Pediatric Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
Dr. Galvez and Dr. Cesar Padilla pioneered the first ever National Latino/a/x Physician Day on October 1st to advocate for an increase in Hispanic medical professionals.
Dr. Galvez' parents immigrated to California from Peru and his grandfather was a pediatric surgeon that inspired him to enter the medical field.
Isabel Silva
Founding Member
Isabel is a third-year medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical school that aspires to pursue residency in Plastic Surgery. She is involved in DEI initiatives and is passionate about improving patient care for underserved communities and increasing the number of minorities in healthcare.
Isabel was born in Caracas, Venezuela and moved to the United States to pursue her undergraduate and medical studies.
Valeria P. Bustos, MD, MSc, MPH
Dr. Valeria P. Bustos is currently a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident at the University of Miami/ Jackson Health System. She recently completed her MPH in Clinical Effectiveness with a concentration in Public Health Leadership at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
She graduated from the Pontifical Xaverian University in Bogota, Colombia with the highest recognition. After graduation, she obtained the Diploma of Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (PPCR) at Harvard T.H. Later, she completed a Master of Science in Clinical Research candidate at the Center of Clinical Research and Management Education, Division of Health Care Sciences, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany. She was a postdoctoral plastic surgery research fellow at BIDMC/ Harvard Medical School under the mentorship of Dr. Bernard Lee for two and a half years. Additionally, she is a teacher assistant in the PPCR course and is a member of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open Resident Advisory Board.
Dr. Bustos was born and raised in Colombia and moved to Boston to pursue her research fellowship and MPH.
Our Allied Organizations
