Paul Shay, M.D.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Division of Surgery
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2015 | University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, Medicine, MD |
| 2011 | University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, Biology, BA |
Postgraduate Training
| 2021-2022 | Fellow, Reconstructive Microsurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2015-2021 | Resident, Plastic Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York |
| 2012-2012 | Research Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2023 | American Board of Plastic Surgery |
| 2021 | Physician License |
Experience & Service
Other Professional Positions
UT MD Anderson Peer Supporter, Chief Wellness Office, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2026 - Present
Surgeon Peer Supporter, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2026 - Present
Plastic Surgery Rotation Director for the Breast Surgery Oncology Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2024 - Present
Department Wellness Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2024 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2020 | Resident Bowl Top Individual Score, American Society of Plastic Surgeons |
| 2020 | Residents' Madness Research Tournament Winner, New York Regional Society of Plastic Surgeons |
| 2019 | Resident Bowl Champion, American Society of Plastic Surgeons |
| 2016 | Gold Humanism Excellence in Teaching Award, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
| 2014 | Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society |
| 2014 | Pediatric Research Prize, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2012 | Agnew Society Fellowship Grant, University of Pennsylvania |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2026. Financial Wellness: Investing 101. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Implant Based Breast Reconstruction. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Financial Wellness: Investing 101. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Recipient Vessel Dissection. Cadaver Flap Course. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Implant Based Breast Reconstruction. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. Ulnar Artery Perforator Flap. Cadaver Flap Course. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. Recipient Vessel Preparation. Microsurgery Skills Lab. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. Best Case Best Save. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Fellow Series: Career Development Panel. Panelist. Houston, Texas, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2026. Mock Oral Boards. 2026 Mountain West Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
- 2025. Latissimus Dorsi and Thoracodorsal Artery Perforator Flaps. Texas Cadaver Course. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2020. Mastectomy Specimen Morphology to Enhance Decision-Making in Abdomen Based Breast Reconstruction. New York Regional Society of Plastic Surgeons Residents Night. New York City, New York, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Microsurgeons as Athletes; Training and Routines to Maintain Longevity, Wellness, and Prevent Injuries. Panelist. American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery Annual Meeting. Waikoloa Village, Hawaii, US.
- 2023. Immediate Mastectomy Reconstruction with Prepectoral Tissue Expanders without Acellular Dermal Matrix. Panelist. ASPS The Meeting. Austin, Texas, US.
- 2023. Operating in the Radiated Pelvis: Pitfalls and Solutions Plastic Surgery Reconstruction. Panelist. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress. Boston, Massachusetts, US.
International Presentations
- 2013. International Adoptees With Cleft: Lessons Learned From A Growing Population. Conference. International Congress on Cleft Lip/Palate and Related Craniofacial Anomalies.
- 2013. A Comparative Cost Analysis of Cleft Lip Adhesion and Naso-alveolar Molding Prior to Formal Cleft Lip Repair. Conference. International Congress on Cleft Lip/Palate and Related Craniofacial Anomalies. Orlando, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - Present |
| Title: | Lymphedema prevention through Immediate LYmphatic reconstruction (LILY) trial |
| Funding Source: | National Cancer Institute |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - Present |
| Title: | Absorbable antibacterial Soft Tissue Support in Breast Reconstruction with Infection Outcomes Assessment (ARIA Trial) |
| Funding Source: | Melodi Health |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - Present |
| Title: | A Study of the Safety and Effectiveness of the Mentor Larger Size MemoryGel Ultra High Profile Breast Implants in Subjects Who Are Undergoing Primary Breast Reconstruction or Revision Reconstruction (Athena) |
| Funding Source: | Mentor Worldwide, LLC |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - Present |
| Title: | Interactive Design of Patient-Specific Molds for Tissue Shaping, a randomized study of 3D-printed patient-specific breast molds (intervention) vs. standard of care (control) |
| Funding Source: | National Cancer Institute |
| Role: | Co-I |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Elmorsi R, Shay P, Babu A, Clemens M, Schaverien M, Chu C, Olenczak J, Dickey R, Mericli A. Safety of Brand Discordant Tissue Expanders and Implants in Staged Breast Reconstruction. Plas Recon Surg, 2026. PMID: 41874323.
- Elmorsi R, Babu A, Shay P, Barrera J, Olenczak J, Clemens M, Largo R, Mericli A. The Tipping Point: Predictors of Implant Flipping in Staged Breast Reconstruction. Plast Recon Surg Publish Ahead of Print, 2026. PMID: 41649883.
- Clemens, MW, Mitchell, MP, Christensen, JM, Olenczak, JB, Shay, PL, Hanwright, P, Ha, A, Kapur, SK, Melancon, AD, Shuck, JW. Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Conditional Tissue Expanders in Breast Reconstruction. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 156(2):225-233, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39946673.
- Villavisanis, DF, Zhang, D, Shay, PL, Taub, PJ, Venkatramani, H, Melamed, E. Assisting in Microsurgery. Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online 5(3):358-362, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37323968.
- Graziano, FD, Mavrommatis, M, Shay, PL, Ingargiola, MJ, Sanati-Mehrizy, P, Henderson, PW, Fang, F, Taub, PJ. Novel strategies for evaluating and improving plastic surgery applicant selection. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 148(6):1040E-1046E, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34705807.
- Wood KL, Margulies IG, Shay P, Ashikari AY, Salzberg CA. Complications after Perforated versus Nonperforated Acellular Dermal Matrix Use in Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction: A Propensity Score Analysis. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 7253284.
- Shay PL, Xu H, Sbitany H, Henderson PW. Surgical delay of anterior chest wall prior to open coronary arterial bypass grafting surgery may decrease postoperative sternal complications. Med Hypotheses 135:109466, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31698112.
- Shay PL, Goldstein JA, Wink JD, Paliga JT, Solot CB, Cohen MA, Friedman SA, Low DW, Taylor JA, Jackson OA. International Adoptees With Cleft Lip and/or Palate: Lessons Learned From a Growing Population, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27442490.
- Shay PL, Goldstein JA, Paliga JT, Wink J, Jackson OA, Low D, Bartlett SP, Taylor JA. A Comparative Cost Analysis of Cleft Lip Adhesion and Nasoalveolar Molding before Formal Cleft Lip Repair. Plast Reconstr Surg 136(6):1264-1271, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26595019.
- Pasick CM, Shay PL, Stransky CA, Solot CB, Cohen MA, Jackson OA. Long term speech outcomes following late cleft palate repair using the modified Furlow technique. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 78(12):2275-80, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25468463.
- Sweeney D, Paliga JT, Reid RR, Shay PL, Goldstein JA, Bartlett SP, Whitaker LA, Taylor JA. The impact of a parent liaison at a major craniofacial center, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24220370.
Review Articles
- Graziano, FD, Shay, PL, Sanati-Mehrizy, P, Sbitany, H. Prepectoral implant reconstruction in the setting of post-mastectomy radiation. Gland Surgery 10(1):411-416, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33633999.
- Shay PL, Jacobs J. Autologous reconstruction following nipple sparing mastectomy: a comprehensive review of the current literature, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 6006021.
- Shay P, Taub PJ, Silver L. Improved Techniques and Future Advances in Plastic Surgery in Global Health. Ann Glob Health 82(4):644-648, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27986234.
Abstracts
- Ndiaye P, Nizzero S, Schaverien M, Hassid V, Shay P, Shuck J, Clemens M, Yu J, Ha A, Reece G, Roubaud M, Mericli A, Villa M, Francis A, Adelman D, Baumann D, Christensen J, Dickey R, Hanwright P, Kapur S, Olenczak J, Sahin A, Paredes E, TIlley J, Jizawi A, Srivastava G, Lasli S, Appenzeller T, Loparic M, Plodinec M, Smith B. Abstract PS1-03-05: Characterizing Nanomechanical Properties of Skin Tissue in Postmastectomy Implant Reconstruction. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Ndiaye P, Schaverien M, Hassid V, Shay P, Shuck J, Clemens M, Yu J, Ha A, Reece G, Roubaud M, Mericli A, Villa T, Francis A, Adleman D, Baumann D, Christensen J, Dickey R, Hanwright P, Kapur S, Olenczak, Sahin A, Paredes E, Jizawi A, Srivastava G, Darwich T, Lasli S, Tilley J, Appenzeller T, Nizzero S, Loparic M, Plodinec M, Smith B. Abstract P4-04-19: Characterizing Nanomechanical Properties of Skin and Soft Tissue in Postmastectomy Implant Reconstruction. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2024 31(12_Supplement):P4-04-19, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Ndiaye P, Schaverien M, Hassid V, Shay P, Shuck J, Clemens M, Yu Z, Ha A, Reece G, Roubaud M, Mericli A, Villa T, Francis A, Adelman D, Baumann D, Christensen J, Dickey R, Kapur S, Olenczak J, Sahin A, Paredes E, Jizawi A, Srivastava G, Appenzeller T, Nizzero S, Loparic M, Plodinec M, Smith B. Abstract LB403: Characterizing nanomechanical properties of skin tissue in postmastectomy implant reconstruction. American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025 85(8_Supplement_2):LB403, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Yao A, Kaldany A, Ranson W, Chen S, Kroshus T, Shay P, Taub P. Body mass index and wound complications following body contouring surgery. American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons Annual Winter Retreat, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Sullivan M, Dunn R, Fracol M, Shay P, Ha YP, Schneider R, Wiltse Nicely K, Corcoran A. Readiness for Interprofessional Education Differs Between Nursing and Medical Students. 52nd Annual Conference on Research in Medical Education.
Book Chapters
- Kolker A, Shay P. Correction of Tuberous Breast Deformity. In: Atlas of Reconstructive Breast Surgery. Elsevier, 293-310, 2019.
Letters to the Editor
- Bao, E, Kuruvilla, A, Shay, PL, Ibelli, T, Henderson, PW. The first 25 years of DIEP flap breast reconstruction publications. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery 75: 1253-1254, 2022.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 11, 2026