FPT October/ 2026
“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” Sir William Osler, FRS, FRCP
The IBCFPRS Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Dr. Nicolas Glasson, a facial plastic surgeon, currently in a fellowship in Sydney, Australia, earned the highest score on the 2026 IBCFPRS/EBCFPRS exam in Hohenkammer, Germany this past July. Dr. Glasson will be honored with the Claus D. Walter Award for Academic Excellence at the AAFPRS Fall Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 25th.
The allure of practicing medicine has captivated Dr. Glasson since childhood. “In biology class, I loved the dissection courses and I was fascinated by how the body worked, the anatomy, the mechanics of it all—I was mesmerized. When I was 13, during a summer internship at a veterinary clinic, I was actually allowed to assist in a few surgeries and I was completely absorbed in what was happening. From then on, becoming a doctor and a surgeon felt like a natural path.”
Dr. Glasson studied at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, close to where he grew up, where he discovered ENT. “I was drawn to the complex anatomy of the head and neck, the diversity of pathology, and managing patients across the full spectrum from birth to old age. After my pre-graduate training, my choice to pursue ENT was rock solid and I began my ENT residency at the Hospital of St. Gallen in Switzerland under the head of the department, Professor Sandro Stöckli, and there,
Dr. Abel Jan Tasman piqued my interest in rhinoplasty and facial plastic surgery. I completed my training at the Lausanne University Hospital with Department Head Professor Christian Simon, who gave me the opportunity for broad surgical training. That was the experience I needed before I focused on rhinology and facial plastic surgery with Dr. Antoine Reinhard, who taught me his work philosophy and surgical skills in rhinology, rhinoplasty, and facial reconstructive surgery. Since November 2025, I’ve been in a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery in Sydney, Australia with Professor Catherine Meller.”
Dr. Glasson continues, “I am deeply grateful to Dr. Meller, for her generosity as a mentor. She, along with Drs. George Marcells, Sim Choroomi, and Geoff Wilcsek are guiding me in building facial nerve and facial plastic surgery expertise, and giving me the confidence to make it a genuine area of focus rather than a passing interest.”
In addition to his pursuit of medical expertise and excellence, Dr. Glasson has a beautiful family. “I can never thank my wife, Deborah, enough for her support during all those years. She was ready to move with me from Switzerland to Sydney for my fellowship with a 6-week-old baby and a toddler in tow. Most partners would have said no, but I couldn’t imagine being away from my family for the length of my fellowship in a different country. It’s beautiful to experience Sydney and Australia with my wife and my two children, who are picking up English remarkably fast — and watching whales off the coastline, a 10-minute drive from home, still amazes me.”
After Dr. Glasson’s fellowship, he will return to the Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland where he hopes to expand his facial plastic surgery practice beyond rhinology and rhinoplasty, continue improving the skin cancer care his department offers, and ultimately enable the hospital to build a high-quality center for the management of facial palsy.
Dr. Santdeep Paun, IBCFPRS President, adds, “The IBCFPRS examination and certification program represent the highest level that can be achieved by international surgeons who wish to let patients, peers, and the public know that they have achieved the gold standard in facial plastic surgery certification. Dr. Glasson’s high score on the exam is a testament to his commitment to be the best that he can be. May Dr. Glasson serve as an inspiration to others as he continues to promote the advancement of our specialty and the IBCFPRS certification program. We will look forward to having him complete his IBCFPRS certification in the near future and welcoming him into IBCFPRS family,” concludes Dr. Paun.
To apply for IBCFPRS certification, please go to www.ibcfprs.org and click on IBCFPRS for additional details and to download an IBCFPRS application.
