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Johanna Riesel
Biography
Dr. Johanna Riesel completed her plastic and reconstructive surgical training at Harvard University before completing a paediatric craniofacial fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). During her time at Harvard, she was a primary author and researcher on the landmark publication, the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery.
Her clinical interests are in cleft and craniofacial surgery, facial reanimation, general paediatric reconstruction, surgical education and global surgery. Her research interests include improving outcomes in endoscopic strip craniectomies, optimizing surgeon performance in the operating room through emotion regulation and improving access to high-quality surgical care in limited-resource settings. She has presented her research both nationally and internationally.
She also obtained a Masters in Medical Health Professions Education through Maastricht and New York University to further her interest in optimizing surgeon performance by studying surgeon fear in the operating room. Additionally, Dr. Riesel is proud to serve as the Director of the Wellness Program for the University of Toronto Plastic Surgery Residents and sits as a member of the Residency Program Committee.
Education and experience
- 2021–Present: Assistant Professor, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
- 2020–2021: Clinical Associate, Plastic Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- 2019–2020: Clinical Fellow, Plastic Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- 2015–2019: Plastic Surgery Resident, Harvard Medical School Program in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- 2013–2015: Research Fellow Boston Children’s Hospital; Paul Farmer Global Surgery Fellow Harvard Medical School Program, Global Surgery and Social Change
- 2010–2015: General Surgery Resident, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
- 2006–2010: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
- 2005–2006: Post Bachelor’s Fellow Harvard Initiative for Global Health
Achievements
- 2023: Best Poster Presentation, Interational Society of Craniofacial Surgery
- 2022: University of Toronto Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Program Early Career Award
- 2020: J.G. McCarthy Visiting Scholar Award American Society of Craniofacial Surgeons
- 2018: Best Surgical Innovation Pitch, Harvard Surgical Program in Innovation
- 2015: First Place Essay, RAS of the American College of Surgeons
- 2014: The Wakley Essay Prize, The Lancet