When thePlasticsFella first started, it was niche. Super niche. We provided concise notes on specific aspects of plastic surgery. Never did I imagine that, 5 years later, over 1,000,000 people would have used the platform to learn and understand plastic surgery.

In the last 12 months alone, we've welcomed 350,000 new users. So who are these new users?

• Plastic Surgery Medical Students: 20%
• Plastic Surgery Trainees/Residents: 65%
• Consultants/Attendings: 10%
• Other Professionals: 5%

And this is how they discover the platform?

Once users get onto the platform, you dive into a wealth of resources. Over the past 12 months, certain articles have stood out as the most popular, reflecting key areas of interest and need within the plastic surgery community.

Here are the top 10 articles that have captured the most attention

Developing a resource that caters to over 1 million people is no easy feat, especially considering the diverse learning styles among users. Some prefer bullet points, others long sentences, and many benefit from images and videos.

The challenge is to cater to everyone without alienating anyone.

Over time, we've fine-tuned our content to suit various preferences effectively. Here’s our simple yet effective approach:

1. Super Concise Summaries: At the top of every page, we provide a brief summary. This allows users to quickly find essential information, perfect for those needing a quick reference while at work.
2. Key Points: At the beginning of each section, we highlight key points. This helps users who need a bit more information but still prefer a concise format.
3. Comprehensive Main Body: The main content combines sentences, bullet points, and images/videos. This section is for users who want a more in-depth understanding, catering to all learning styles in a balanced manner.

By structuring our content this way, we've managed to create a versatile learning environment that meets the needs of a diverse audience.

This one is easy to pinpoint. The biggest mistake? Going solo for too long.

For the first four years or so, it was just me. As a full-time plastic surgery resident, I could only dedicate about ~20 hours a week on top of my normal job. This meant the platform progressed slowly and steadily rather than experiencing "overnight success" (which, in hindsight, has its benefits).

Operating solo also taught me efficiency in managing all aspects of an educational platform. But now, I'm delighted (and so is my wife!) that I have a fantastic team to help out.

Check them out below:

Our team is amazing. The content we produce each month far exceeds what I could ever have done alone. This is crucial for creating high-quality content for the community. All the revenue invested by you, the community, goes directly back into the platform.

We now have a super streamlined process, creating over +30 pieces of educational content every month for you all. And the team is only going to get bigger & better.

The best decision at thePlasticsFella? our business model. This has never changed and never will.

Profiting from education is something I strongly oppose. Some platforms charge exorbitant fees (often with random discounts) for a few hundred questions, or hefty amounts for short courses with no follow-up—information you'll likely forget within 48 hours. This creates barriers to education and misaligned incentives.

Every dollar generated by thePlasticsFella goes directly back into the platform. The more users we have, the better the learning environment becomes, making our community stronger.

Our model has turned thePlasticsFella into a self-sustaining ecosystem. Every penny is reinvested to enhance and expand our free educational library. This isn’t just a resource; it’s a vibrant community where quality education and engagement thrive together.

By continuously reinvesting, we’ve created a virtuous cycle. More engagement leads to more resources, enabling us to produce even better content.

We have a pretty ambitious goal. So hear me out.

Right now, we have about 70% of the plastic surgery curriculum covered. We aim to reach nearly 100% in the next 6 months (thanks ot the amazing team!)

Then, it’s time to focus on the software. We'll be building a completely new learning environment that fully integrates with your day-to-day life. Almost like Duolingo for plastic surgeons (but you'll actually learn the language of plastic surgery).

Our vision is to build a single platform that covers every aspect of plastic surgery education. From foundational knowledge to advanced techniques, this platform will be your go-to resource for learning, practice, and professional growth.

This is all made possible by the amazing support from the amazing community (in particular thePlasticsPro users), so thank you 🙏