By Lauren Kulchawik
The Maliniac
Circle is an opportunity for all ASPS
members – at any stage of their
careers – to make a donation to
PSEF to support future research and educational
programs.
Stephen Ronan, MD, an ASPS candidate-member,
exemplify the fact that it is never too
early, or too late, to become a Maliniac
Fellow.
Stephen Ronan,
MD
At age 32, Dr. Ronan is the youngest member
to join the Maliniac Circle. He hopes
that other young plastic surgeons will
follow his lead in making a deferred contribution
to PSEF.
“I think it’s a duty of every
plastic surgeon to support the future
of plastic surgery,” Dr. Ronan says.
“It makes sense for everyone to
join. It’s relatively inexpensive
for young surgeons to make this commitment
through a life insurance policy.”
Dr. Ronan and his wife, Leslie Ronan,
formerly a pharmacist, fully agreed that
their deferred contribution would be directed
to a worthy and noble specialty. Dr. Ronan
believes strongly in the society’s
ideals for membership: board-certification
and years of surgical training. If he
could direct his contribution toward a
particular cause, he says, “I might
suggest that we do a better job of educating
the public about the difference between
a [board-certified] plastic surgeon and
a ‘cosmetic’ surgeon.”
Dr. Ronan grew up in northern California
and attended University of California-Davis
as an undergraduate. For 10 years, he
attended the Medical College of Virginia
(MCV) in Richmond, where he obtained his
medical degree and completed his general
and plastic surgery residencies. He was
the first resident to study in the MCV’s
integrated general and plastic surgery
residency program under ASPS mentors Austin
Mehrhof, MD, chair of plastic surgery
at MCV, and I. Kelman Cohen, MD, founder
of the program.
As he neared the end of his residency,
Dr. Ronan made an enduring commitment
to fund the future of the specialty –
he not only chose to join the Maliniac
Circle, but also to make a similar contribution
to his training program through MCV’s
Heritage Foundation.
“If all of us make this a priority,
imagine the cumulative effect of this
type of funding – it’s staggering,”
he says.
Dr. Ronan considers his father, who died
last year from esophageal cancer, to be
one of the most powerful influences in
his life. “[My father] was a tremendous
individual,” Dr. Ronan says. “He
taught me to be strong and persevere.
I learned his lessons well. He has been
the individual with the largest impact
on what makes me, me. He was aware of
and supported my decision to make contributions
to both the Maliniac Circle and the Heritage
Foundation.”
Currently working in private practice
with his partner in Danville, Calif.,
Dr. Ronan specializes in aesthetic surgical
procedures, such as breast augmentation,
body contouring and various types of face
lifts.
Dr. and Mrs. Ronan are the new parents
of two children, a 22-month-old son and
a 2-month-old daughter.
To contribute to PSEF
or the National Endowment, call Carol
Wargo, chief development officer, at (847)
228-3358.
Copyright 2002
The American Society of Plastic Surgoons.
Reprinted with permission for one-time
use.
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