Springfield Clinic’s Center for Plastic Surgery is welcoming a new surgeon to their team this month.

Abigail Cochran, MD, thinks her love of medicine started at a young age when she would visit her father, an OR nurse at the VA hospital in Milwaukee, and watch him work. “I can also still remember my dad telling me to ‘anticipate what I need’ and ‘hand me the tool like I’m going to use it,’ when I helped him with projects around the house growing up. This has served me well!”

Dr. Cochran received her medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wis., where she also later completed her fellowship in microvascular surgery. In between, she completed her residency in plastic surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Knowing early on that she wanted to do a surgical specialty, Dr. Cochran chose plastic surgery as an elective while in school. “I liked the variety of conditions treated in plastic surgery and being able to see the end result of the work. Nothing is cookie cutter in plastics: Every patient presents a unique challenge, which requires thoughtfulness in every case, no matter how seemingly straightforward.”

Board certified in plastic & reconstructive surgery, Dr. Cochran treats patients with both cosmetic or reconstructive needs. Her fellowship training in microsurgery gives her specialization in complex reconstruction of defects, often for trauma or cancer patients. “I love feeling like I genuinely helped a patient with a difficult problem. The most fulfilling part of being a plastic surgeon is not only seeing the result of my work physically, but also being able to appreciate the emotional journey and transformation a patient experiences along the way.”

When she’s not working, Dr. Cochran spends time with her husband, three young children and three chocolate labs. Life may be busy, but they try to get out to their ‘hobby farm’ as much as possible, where they tap trees to make maple syrup and grow pumpkins. Dr. Cochran will be located at the Center for Plastic Surgery at 2901 Greenbriar Drive in Springfield. The surgeons with Springfield Clinic’s Center for Plastic Surgery make education, confidentiality and compassion their priorities when helping a patient with their plastic surgery needs. To learn more about Dr. Cochran and the CPS team, visit here.