Olivia Abbate Ford, MD

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Board Eligible Plastic Surgeon

Meet Dr. Abbate Ford

Dr. Olivia Abbate Ford is a board eligible plastic surgeon with a passion for artistry and precision. She brings an artistic eye to her surgical practice by combining her love for portrait drawing and working with human form. Dr. Abbate Ford is dedicated to achieving beautiful, natural results for her patients, always striving to balance aesthetics and function. Her dual passions for art and surgery allow her to shape not just appearances but lives, making each outcome a reflection of her commitment to excellence.

Dr. Abbate Ford grew up in New York with a strong passion for science and surrounded by a family of engineers. She was recruited to Harvard University to run NCAA Division I Track and Field. She was team captain and led her team to multiple Ivy League championships. She earned her A.B. in neurobiology and then attended medical school at Georgetown University, where she graduated cum laude and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.

She completed her residency in the highly prestigious Harvard Integrated Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery program at Massachusetts General Brigham–Harvard Medical School in Boston, where she spent six years focused on reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. She served as chief resident and resident representative and was elected chair of the national American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ Resident Council for two years.

She developed a passion for mentorship and leadership, which is reflected in her involvement with various medical mentorship programs. She was awarded a travel scholarship to attend the Women Plastic Surgeons’ meeting and has consistently worked to support women in surgery.

Dr. Abbate Ford is deeply committed to advancing the field of plastic surgery through research. Her studies have spanned breast reconstruction, domestic violence, and surgical outcomes, leading to extensive publications and presentations at major national conferences. She offers a wide range of options for reconstructive and aesthetic concerns. Her interests includes breast reconstruction, Mohs surgery and reconstruction for skin cancer, and body contouring after childbirth and weight loss. She is also passionate about facial rejuvenation procedures, including facelifts, neck lifts, rhinoplasty, and blepharoplasty.

Practice

UVA Health

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

University of Virginia - Community Health Affiliate

Haymarket, VA | Manassas, VA

Education and Training

Education & Training

Chief Resident in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Harvard Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Harvard Medical School

Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham and Women's Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts

*Resident Representative

Resident in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Harvard Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham and Women's Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts

Intern in General Surgery

Harvard Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham and Women's Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts

Doctor of Medicine

Georgetown University School of Medicine

Washington, District of Columbia

*Cum Laude graduate

*Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society

Bachelor of Arts

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

*Captain NCAA Division I Women's Track and Field (Event: Sprints & Hurdles)

*Concentration: Neurobiology

Awards & Honors

Jedd Sereysky Humanism in Plastic Surgery Award (2024)

MGB Harvard Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Residency

Women Plastic Surgeons Travel Scholarship Recipient (2022)

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Winner of Most Interesting Case Presentation Competition (2021)

MGB Harvard Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Residency

Faustino R. Suarez MD Award, for highest marks in anatomy (2018)

Georgetown University School of Medicine

String of Pearls Residency Teaching Award (2018)

Georgetown University School of Medicine

Dean’s Promotion Letter, for excellent academic record (2015)

Georgetown University School of Medicine

NCAA All Academic Honors (2013, 2014)

Harvard University

Professional Memberships

Candidate for Membership - American Society of Plastic Surgeons (Board Eligible)

Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society

Chair of Residents Council - American Society of Plastic Surgeons (Past role)

Research & Publications

SCIENTIFIC PAPERS

Lee LN, McCarty JC, Gadkaree SK, Ford OA, Occhiogrosso J, Yau J, Hadlock TA, Derakhshan A. Effect of Filler Therapy on Psychosocial Distress in Facial Paralysis: Patients with Major Asymmetry Derive Greater Benefit. Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine. 2023 (25) 5 : 415 – 419.
Wong F, Yaremchuk M, Gfrerer L, Ford OA. (2023). Surgical Dressings. In: Yaremchuk, M., Serebrakian, A.T., Pickrell, B.B., Paniss, J., Bailin, M.T., Gangi, N. (eds) Expertise in the Operating Room. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30835-2_15
Gfrerer L, Sager JE, Ford OA, Carty MJ, Verdial FC, Gadd MA, Spechy MC, Winograd JM, Valerio IL. Nipple Areola Complex Reinnervation: Technical Considerations and Surgical Efficiency in Implant-based Breast Reconstruction. PRS - Global Open. 2022. 10(7):p e4420.
Specht MC, Kelly BN, Tomczyk E, Ford OA, Webster AJ, Smith BL, Gadd MA, Colwell AS, Liao EC. One-Year Experience of Same-Day Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Protocol. Ann Surg Oncol. 2022 Sep;29(9):5711-5719.
Abbate Ford O, Khurana B, Sinha I, Carty MJ, Orgill D. The plastic surgeon’s role in the COVID-19 crisis: Regarding domestic violence. Cureus. 2021. 13(1):e12650.
Abbate O, Rosado N, Sobti N, Vieira BL, Liao EC. Meta‑analysis of prepectoral implant‑based breast reconstruction: guide to patient selection and current outcomes. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2020 182; 543-554.
Specht M, Sobti N, Rosado D, Tomcyzk T, Abbate O, Ellis D, Liao EC. High‑Efficiency Same‑Day Approach to Breast Reconstruction During the COVID‑19 Crisis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2020; 182:679–688.
Zajac JC, Abbate O, Oh AK, et al. Dental Topics for Plastic Surgeons, Part One: Normal Anatomy, Growth and Development. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery; 2020 June, 31 (4) 1168-1173.
Fan KL, Abbate OA, Song DH. Free SIA Flap Breast Reconstruction, in Atlas of Reconstructive Breast Surgery; 2020; 4, 49-60.
Fan KL, Black CK, Abbate O, Lu K, Camden R, Evans KK. Venous thromboembolism in plastic surgery: the current state of evidence in risk assessment and chemoprophylactic options. J Plast Surg and Hand Surg. 2019 Nov; 53 (6): 170-180.
Abbate OA, Lakhiani C, Janhofer DE, Elmarsafi T, Zarick CS, Higgins JP, DeFazio MV, Evans KK. Long Term Follow Up of a Vascularized Osteocutaneous Free Flap for Reconstruction in Charcot Neuroarthropathy: A Case Report. Ann Plast Surg. 2019 Feb; 82(2):180-183.
Fan KL, Tilt A, Abbate OA, Masden DL. Vagal Stimulation as Result of Pleural Stretch Secondary to Retraction during Internal Mammary Anastomosis. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2018 Sep; 6(9): e1951.
Pittman TA, Abbate OA, & Economides JM. The P1 method: A novel approach to pre-pectoral breast reconstruction to minimize the palpable implant edge and upper pole rippling. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 Feb 27.
Fan KL, Graziano FD, Abbate O, Pittman TA, & Willey SC. Midclavicular to inframammary fold measurement, a method of evaluation for nipple sparing mastectomy. Annals of Breast Surgery. 2018 Feb;2 (3) 3.
DeFazio MV, Abbate OA, Lakhiani C, & Song DH. Pedicle-to-perforator bypass using supermicrosurgical technique for DIEP flap salvage in the setting of inadvertent perforator-level injury. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2017 Oct 25;5(10): e1542.
Abbate OA, Fan KL, & Nahabedian MY. Central Mound Mastopexy for the Correction of Tuberous / Tubular Breast Deformity. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2017 Nov 7;5(11): e1545.
Abbate O, Farmer W, Mackey C, & Smith H. Fetal Endoscopic Tracheal Occlusion: An Emerging Prenatal Intervention for Treatment of Pulmonary Dysfunction in Severe Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Current Opinions in Sexual Development and Reproduction. An Academic Journal of the School of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Volume 7 (M1) 2015.

ABSTRACTS, POSTERS & PRESENTATIONS

Ford OA, Koh D, Khurana B, Orgill D. Intimate partner violence among plastic surgery patients: A single institution experience at two major trauma centers. Presented at AAPS May 2024, Boston MA.
Hamaguchi R, Ford OA, Leung N, Dey T, Chun YS. P10. Impact of Animation Deformity on Patient-Reported Breast Reconstruction Outcomes: A Subpectoral vs. Prepectoral Planes Comparison. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery-Global Open 12(S5):p 43, May 2024
Gfrerer L, Ford OA, et al. Targeted NAC Reinnervation (TNR) with Nerve Fascicle Split in Implant Based Breast Reconstruction, abstract submitted to ASPS The Meeting October 2022.
Specht MC, Kelly B, Webster A, Abbate O, Rosado N, McGuigin C, Smith BL, Gadd MA, Coopey SB, Liao EC. Same-Day Approach to Mastectomy with Immediate Reconstruction.

Presented at Harvard Medical School Surgery Research Day, March 2022, Boston, MA.
Poster at New England Surgical Society, September 2021, Foxwoods, CT.

Bodendorfer B, Fryar C, Kotler J, Murphy J, Abbate O, Trasolini N, Weber A, Chang E. Distal biceps repair: Meta-analysis of outcomes by approach and fixation. Abstract at American Academy Orthopedic Surgeons, March 2020 Orlando, FL..
Economides JM, Abbate OA, Pittman T. The PI Method: a novel approach to prep-pectoral breast reconstruction to minimize the palpable implant edge and upper pole rippling. Poster at Breast Cancer Coordinated Care (BC3), March 2018, Washington, DC.
Sandler A, Srinivasan P, Chakrabarti L, Morgan C, Wu X, & Abbate O. PD-L1 inhibition is a non-redundant adjuvant for targeting PD-L1 expressing cancer cells when combined with a whole tumor cell vaccine and CTLA-4 blockade. Poster at International Meeting of Tumor Immunology, September 2015, New York, NY.
Abbate O, Chakrabarti L, & Sandler A. Phenotypic Plasticity Enables Anchorage Independent Growth in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Presented at Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National Medical Center, August 2013, Washington, DC.

MEDICAL ILLUSTRATION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Herr H, Clites T, Srinivasan S, Talbot S, Dumanian G, Cederna P, Carty M. Reinventing extremity amputation in the era of functional limb restoration. Annals of Surgery 2021; 273 (2): 269-279.
Somenek M. Gender-Related facial surgical goals. Facial Plast Surg 2018; 34 (05): 474-479.
Srinivasan P, Wu X, Basu M, Rossi C, Sandler A. PD-L1 checkpoint inhibition and anti-CTLA-4 whoe tumor cell vaccination counter adaptive immune resistance: A mouse neuroblastoma model that mimics human disease. PLOS Medicine 2018; DOI 10.1371