Alma Dea Morani, MD, FACS

2000 Alma Dea Morani Awardee

Alma Dea Morani, MD, FACS, was the first female member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. She was drawn to medicine by the Woman’ s Medical College of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1931. Her love of art, which she learned from her sculptor/father, Salvatore Morani, drew her to plastic surgery. Her difficulty obtaining training in the specialty would have caused others to abandon the goal, but she pursued it with greater vigor. Her career path as a plastic surgeon was diverse and challenging. She returned to the Woman’ s Medical College to start her practice, treating the broad spectrum of problems that we all see, and rose to the rank of clinical professor of surgery. In that capacity she was a role model for a whole generation of women who, in turn, acted as mentors for many others to pursue careers in plastic surgery.

Dr. Morani has inspired a generation of women to pursue careers in plastic surgery. She will continue to serve as an inspiration to young physicians, especially women, who wish to combine the skills of a plastic surgeon with an appreciation of the role of art in the maturation of the individual.