MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
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40 JULY/AUGUST 2015 | Med Esthetics The Road to Plastic Surgery Born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, Dr. O'Connell ultimately changed course, opting for a career as a plastic surgeon. His decision was infl uenced by the fi nancial turmoil of the early 1970s. "I began college in 1973. I always enjoyed art and science in high school and I received an unsolicited offer for a college art scholarship. Much to my parents' chagrin, I turned it down because I didn't want to be a starving artist," he says. "Instead, I decided to attend the University of Rochester, which is well known as a science school." Today, Dr. O'Connell is the owner and founder of The Aesthetic Center of Connecticut in Westport, a practice dedicated entirely to aesthetic medicine. Following his undergraduate studies, he received a scholarship offer from Cornell Medical School. Two of his fi rst-year anatomy course instructors— Robert Schwager, MD, and Gerald Imber, MD—were well-regarded New York plastic surgeons. Their passion and encouragement infl uenced his career path. "They would give lectures to the medical students, teach in the anatomy lab and show us what they did in their private practices," says Dr. O'Connell. "At that time, the chairman was Dr. Dicran Goulian—who was recently awarded the Presidential award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for his lifetime career achievements—and when it came time to do rotations in the third and fourth year, I rotated through plastic surgery." After completing medical school and a general surgery residency, Dr. O'Connell saw plastic surgery as a way to in- tegrate his artistic talents with a career in medicine. "If you're a general surgeon, there aren't too many different ways to remove a gall bladder or an appendix, but there sure are a whole lot of different techniques you can use during a facelift or other plastic surgery procedures," he says. Setting Up Shop After completing his plastic surgery residency at Cornell Medical Center in 1988, Dr. O'Connell realized that he was not interested in an academic position and, although he fi elded several offers to join practices, he elected to set out on his own. "I saved my pennies, and I started off renting space from a group of internists. When I fi nished my residency I didn't even have enough money for the fi rst month's rent," he says. "So I moonlighted as a general surgeon in an inner city emergency room for about 21 straight days just to earn enough to open my door." As his practice grew, he was asked to serve as Chief of Plastic Surgery at Bridgeport Hospital (a Yale affi liate), a position he held for seven years. He became a board ex- aminer for the American Board of Plastic Surgery and he PICTURE THIS Dr. O'Connell performs all surgeries and injectable treatments. The three-story Aesthetic Center of Connecticut includes a surgical suite, noninvasive cosmetic center, and hair and makeup studios. The reception desk can accommodate two staff members so patients never have to wait.