Liliana Camison Bravo, MD, specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery for children and adults.
She practices at University of Pittsburgh Physicians’ Department of Plastic Surgery and is affiliated with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and UPMC Presbyterian/Montefiore.
Dr. Camison Bravo received her medical degree from Universidad CES Escuela de Medicina in her native country of Colombia. After a Research Fellowship in the Craniofacial laboratory at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh under Dr. Joseph Losee, MD, she completed her residency in plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She followed this with a Craniofacial Fellowship at New York University Langone Medical Center.
Q: Why did you decide to become a doctor?
A: I had wanted to be a doctor since I was a child. Probably the earliest memory I have is 6 or 7 years old knowing that was going to be what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Q: What led you to focus on plastic surgery and pediatrics in particular?
A: I come from a family of professional musicians, so art was always very important in my home. At the same time, I had a self-cultivated love for biology, medicine, and anatomy. When I was about 12, my mom explained that the term “plastic” in plastic surgery came from a Greek word that meant to sculpt or mold, but in the context of surgery would be applied to human tissues. She pointed out that it was akin to “living sculpture.”
When she told me that, I was hooked. I told her that was what I was going to be. Over time, it turned out to be true that I found plastic surgery to be the perfect marriage between art and medicine.
I also had a very special friend when I was younger who was born without an ear, and he had the fortune of being reconstructed by one of the most important ear reconstruction surgeons in the last century, Dr. Burt Brent. Long story short, I was able to meet Dr. Brent and spend time with him as a young medical student who was fascinated by the field. He became my first mentor, and it cemented my love for facial reconstructive surgery.
Q: What types of services do you provide at UPMC?
A: I am a plastic surgeon specializing in craniofacial surgery and pediatric plastic surgery. At Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, I treat any congenital and acquired conditions that would require reconstruction in a child, such as cleft lip and palate, facial differences, traumatic defects anywhere in the body, etc. My main passion is on facial reconstruction overall, which I perform in both kids and adults. This includes complex nasal reconstruction, ear reconstruction, or other secondary deformities, which often result from cancer, burns, or trauma. On the adult side, I practice at UPMC Montefiore and Presbyterian Hospitals.
Q: What are the most rewarding parts of your job?
A: There are too many to mention, but I love that plastic surgery meets the patients where they are and provides improvements to their quality of life. In giving them back either something that they lost or something that they never had, it can build up their spirit and help them live a better life.
The other aspect that I love is the long-lasting relationships with patients, especially when you start treating them in infancy or childhood. It is so rewarding to watch them grow and know that you have made a difference for their lives and their families’. And as for adults, meeting them after they have gone through a traumatic experience (like a cancer or trauma), and knowing that you can help reconstruct a part of the face that they have lost is extraordinary. We identify ourselves by our facial appearance, who we see in the mirror every day. Being able to help rebuild that for someone is incredibly rewarding.
Q: Why did you choose to work at UPMC?
A: Pittsburgh has become my home, and over the past 10 years, I built a family here (literally and figuratively). I also have a huge appreciation for Children’s Hospital as an institution and their mission as a whole. Most importantly, the people I work with — my colleagues, friends, and mentors — are wonderful surgeons and compassionate caregivers who push me to be better every day. It is such a supportive environment. There is also an appreciation for innovation and curiosity — both of which are important to me.
Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of your role at UPMC?
A: My family. My husband is also a plastic surgeon, and we have a 2-year-old son. We love spending time together doing any sort of activity with friends, like hiking, traveling, and eating good food. I love, in my spare time, to do yoga, meditate, and read.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .