PHYSICIAN CEO Alumni Directory

Brian S. Coan, MD is an award-winning, nationally renowned, board certified Plastic Surgeon and a member of the

distinguished Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Coan received his undergraduate degree from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in

Cambridge, MA. While college and university rankings are forever debated, the last six years running, Quacquarelli Symonds

(QS), an international group that specializes in education, has named MIT the top university in the world and one where

Nobel laureats are considered a “dime a dozen.”

As an undergrad at MIT, Dr. Coan earned a selective place working alongside the world-renowned Dr. Robert Langer,

founder of the largest biomedical engineering laboratory in the world. During this time Dr. Coan learned firsthand the

innovations in tissue engineering, biotechnology and drug delivery systems.

He completed medical school at the University of Chicago-Pritzker, a General Surgery residency and then went on to

complete a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at the prestigious Duke University Medical Center in Durham,

North Carolina, where he served his final year as Chief Resident.

Despite numerous offers from Plastic Surgery industry and universities, Dr. Coan always wanted to run and manage his own

Plastic Surgery practice. He has served as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Author, Lecturer and Clinical Adjunct Faculty

at both Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery while

operating CARE Plastic Surgery. Dr. Coan’s reputation for innovation and surgical excellence led him to perform the first

bilateral tram breast reconstruction at the Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, NC and he is proud to have

taught and trained numerous plastic surgery residents in the art, science and business of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

He currently serves as Clinical Adjunct Faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill. He trains on all aspects of plastic surgery and most

enjoys educating junior plastic surgeons on establishing and managing an award-winning private plastic surgery practice.

Dr. Coan has consistently been awarded and recognized for all aspects of plastic surgery — from his compassionate care

(Vitals, Top Doctor, US News and World Report), to his Real Self patient care awards (2015, 2016 and 2017) to his

distinction while as a Resident at Duke University’s Plastic Surgery program receiving the highest score for his class on the

plastic surgery in-service exam (2008). Dr. Coan is often sought out by various media outlets, including NBC-17, ABC-11,

Durham Magazine, Cary Magazine and Alamance Woman Magazine. He has been named Best Plastic Surgeon in Durham

seven years in a row (by Durham Magazine), was just awared Best Plastic Surgeon in Cary 2017 (by Cary Magazine). He

recently received the distinct recognition as one of North Carolina’s Top Plastic Surgeons rated

by U.S. News and World Report.