Dr. Kim-Chi Vu, MD

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Get to know Plastic Surgeon Dr. Kim-Chi Vu, who serves patients in Portland, Oregon.

Helping patients to look and feel their very best, Dr. Vu is one of only a handful of female plastic surgeons in Portland, Oregon. Not only does she specialize in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, but she is a foremost leading surgeon in hand and wrist trauma surgery. At present, she works alongside Dr. Jared Madsen, MD, at The Vu Center for Plastic and Hand Surgery, PC. 

“My work in cosmetics and trauma complement one another–trauma keeps me attuned to the minute level of detail that will restore function to an injured hand, while cosmetic work requires an aesthetic, almost artistic, appreciation of how the body works. The respect I have for my patients drives me to continue ongoing training so I may transfer that knowledge to my plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery, and hand surgery practice. My expertise in trauma and reconstruction carries over naturally to aesthetic procedures because of the attention to the delicate details of every structure, in order to achieve the best and most beautiful results” as stated by Dr. Vu.

A member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the doctor is board-certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). The mission of the ABPS is to promote safe, ethical, efficacious plastic surgery to the public by maintaining high standards for the education, examination, certification, and continuous certification of plastic surgeons as specialists and subspecialists.

With a broad educational background, Dr. Vu attended the University of Portland for her undergraduate degree, and graduated medical school from Oregon Health Sciences University where she also completed her surgical residency. During her residency, she was involved in several research projects, including the heparin effect on thrombocytopenia, bioresorbable rib stabilization in rib fractures, and a clinical study on composite grafting for correction of bilateral cleft nasal deformity. 

Her exceptional knowledge comes both from plastic surgical experience and year-round local and national continued education in the latest breakthroughs and technology within the field. Additionally, her extensive expertise in hand trauma surgery serves as a complement to carefully choreographed cosmetic procedures.

Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories – reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. A plastic surgeon’s primary responsibility is performing surgical and non-surgical procedures, and they use a variety of reparative and reconstructive techniques to get the job done.

On a more personal note, Dr. Vu is originally from Vietnam and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was six years old. First residing in Tennessee, she moved to Portland in 1978, where she has remained and now resides with her husband Andrew Nguyen, along with their son and daughter. Her hobbies include running, playing tennis and volleyball, as well as spending as much time as possible with her family.

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