Joan E. Lipa

MD, MSc, FRCS(C), FACS
Surgeon-Investigator

Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
Director of The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc.

phone
(416) 480-6069

fax
(416) 480-5975

assistant
Joanna Li

hospitals and rotations
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

practice location

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Avenue, M1-514
Toronto, ON
M4N 3M5

subspecialty(ies)
Breast, Microsurgery, Trauma

Education

Degrees
MSc, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (1997 Nov)

MD, Cum Laude, Western University, London, Ontario (1992 Jun)
Postgraduate, Research and Specialty

Training
Clinical Fellow in Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, United States (2000 Jul - 2001 Jun)

Clinician Investigator Program, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1995 Jul - 2000 Jun)

The Hospital for Sick Children, Research Fellow in Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1995 Jul - 1997 Jun)

Surgeon - Scientist Program, Faculty of Medicine and School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1995 Jul - 1997 Jun)

Plastic Surgery Residency Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1993 Jul - 2000 Jun)

Comprehensive Surgical Internship, University of Toronto/The Toronto Hospital - General Division, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1992 Jun - 1993 Jun)

Career Highlights

Clinical Practice Expertise in Breast Cancer Reconstruction, Melanoma, and Complex Reconstruction for Cancer and Acute Trauma with Complementary Clinical Research Program

The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc - Vice-Chair, Director, Chair of The Written Examination Committee, and Senior Examiner

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada - former Oral Examiner and Written Examination Development Committee for the Examinations in Plastic Surgery

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons - Vice-Chair of the Annual Meeting Council for Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2021; former appointments of Chair, Breast Subcommittee for Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2020, Members of the Ethics Committee

The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery - Former Chair of the Women's Microsurgery Group and Council Member (Senior Member at Large, Junior Member at Large, Historian, and previous Program Chair)

Development of Breast Reconstruction Program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre (with Dr. Laura Snell)

Previous Faculty Appointments: University of California, Los Angeles and University Health Network (University of Toronto)

Professional Designations

Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in Canada and United States:
2000 Aug - present Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada - Plastic Surgery
2002 Sep - 2022 Dec The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc: Diplomate - Participating in Continuous Certification
2006 Oct - present Fellow of The American College of Surgeons

Positions and Honours

Former University of Toronto Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery Senior Resident Education Coordinator and Member of Residency Program Committee

University of Toronto Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery Chair's Above and Beyond Award (2021)

University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Postgraduate Medical Education Innovation (2019)

William K. Lindsay Faculty Research Mentor Award, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, University of Toronto (Research Award - 2018)

Plastic Surgery Foundation (PSF) Visiting Professor (2015, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons)

Inaugural Women Plastic Surgeons (WPS) Visiting Professor (2015, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons)

Arnis Freiberg Teaching Excellence Award, Dept of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada (2007, 2004)

Alpha Omega Alpha Honour Medical Society, Canada (1990 - lifetime member)

Cancer Care Ontario Breast Cancer Surgical Champion (2016 - present) and Member of the Quality Based Procedural Indicators for Breast Surgery Working Group (2021 - present)

National and International Invited Speaker and Visiting Professor

60 peer-reviewed publications, 13 book chapters