Professor Fu-Chan Wei of Chang Gung University received the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) Research Achievement Award for Innovation

Office of Secretariat

The American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) was founded in 1921. To celebrate its 100^th anniversary in 2021, the AAPS Research Achievement Award for Innovation was established to acknowledge individuals who have promoted innovative clinical practices in plastic surgery through clinical and research contributions. This award was presented for the first time at this year's 2022 annual meeting. Distinguished Chair Professor Fu-Chan Wei of the College of Medicine of Chang Gung University was honored to be the first and only recipient of the award.

Many of the original theories and techniques associated with reconstructive microsurgery developed by Professor Wei over the past 40 years have changed the practices of today's trauma and cancer surgery. The three major areas including the toe transplantation to the hand, fibular flap, and piercing through the branch flap have remained the classic mainstream of reconstructive surgery. Reconstructive microsurgery not only saves countless lives, but also prevents many handicaps, making a huge contribution to society, humanity, and countries around the world. The team he founded and led has a large number of talents, many of whom are internationally renowned academics and experts. He has trained more than 2,300 doctors from 87 countries. The international master's program established at Chang Gung University in 2015 is the world's most prestigious cradle for cultivating reconstructive microsurgery talents.

Numerous domestic and international awards have been presented to Professor Wei to acknowledge his achievements. The most significant award is being selected by the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) in 2006 as one of the 20 most innovative plastic surgeons of the century. The AAPS praised his contribution as "an ineradicable impact that will benefit many generations to come." In 2007, he was selected as one of the world's top 100 surgeons in Germany. In 2012, he became the only surgical academician of the Academia Sinica in the past 82 years since its establishment. In 2014, he was mentioned by the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies for his contribution to “A century of Progress in Head and Neck Cancer”. In the same year, Professor Wei was also selected by the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons (ACAPS) and the South-eastern Society of Plastic Surgeons (SESPS) as one of the 10 most influential plastic surgeons currently in practice. It is worth mentioning that he also won the Presidential Science Prize of Taiwan in 2019.

Professor Wei received such an important award from the American Association of Plastic Surgeons because of his clinical contributions and research that "led to innovative clinical practices in plastic surgery". This award reaffirms all previous domestic and international recognition of his contribution and achievement. This is not only his personal and his team’s honor, but it also symbolizes the fruitful results of hard work and commitment of the Chang Gung medical/educational system in the past 45 years. Teachers and students of Chang Gung University not only congratulate Professor Wei on this honor, but also thank him for setting an example for Chang Gung University in pursuit of excellence.

Prof. Fu-Chan Wei has won countless important domestic and international awards. He recently won the AAPS Research Achievement Award for Innovation.	Prof. Fu-Chan Wei received the first AAPS Research Achievement Award for Innovation.
Prof. Fu-Chan Wei is not only an outstanding researcher, but he also cultivates numerous reconstructive microsurgery talents for Taiwan and other countries.