Dr. Wilton Triggs
Dr. Wilton Triggs is a past Chief Resident at the University of South Florida’s Department of Plastic Surgery. He is the University of South Florida’s Department of Plastic Surgery first black chief resident of Plastic Surgery. He obtained his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN, graduating with Honors. He graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in Chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry with minors in Mathematics and Biology, graduating with University Honors.
He describes himself as a product of humble beginnings of rural north Alabama. He never had any formal exposure to medicine outside of television until sophomore year of college. He was fixated on how and why people felt ill and wanted to know what was going on inside the body on a micro and macroscopic level. He had multiple interests in medical school, however, Plastic surgery was a natural fit for him. It is a broad specialty with multiple disciplines such as, Craniomaxillofacial surgery, pediatric plastic surgery, burn surgery, aesthetic surgery, head and neck oncology, to name a few. He was intrigued by the opportunity to take care of patients of all ages from infants to the elderly, truly be creative, and see almost immediate results. However, the biggest draw to Plastic Surgery was the ability to take limited tissue to solve a complex problem. To Dr. Triggs it mimics the story of his life, to take what’s been given to you no matter how small and insignificant and make the best out of it.
Dr. Triggs believes that giving back, specifically mentorship, is his calling. This has led him to mentor multiple medical and pre-medical students, mostly of color, in pursuing competitive surgical subspecialties. He sits on the Advisory Board of G3 Life Applications, which is a non profit holistic mentoring organization that is dedicated to exposing, educating, and inspiring youth and young adults in the Tampa Bay area. Recently was awarded “Board member of the year” by Urban Golf, a non-profit that raises money for HBCU golf teams and minority golf charities. And has recently established the Dr. Wilton Triggs Foundation. Whose mission is to extend assistance and support for programs and charities that serve to provide education to historically under-represented populations.
In his passion of healthcare advocacy, Dr. Triggs has represented Florida as a legislative advocate on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgery. Speaking with US Senators and Congressmen/Congresswomen on the importance of Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding and access to specialty care.
Dr. Triggs holds an Assistant Professorship with Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Allowing him to teach both medical students and medical residents the intricacies of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Dr. Triggs currently resides in Miami, Florida, specializing in body contouring and aesthetic breast surgery.
OTHER FACTS
Formal residency training in Plastic Surgery at the University of South Florida, which encompasses Tampa General Hospital, voted U.S. News top hospital in the Tampa Metro Area, and second among all hospitals in Florida.
Moffitt Cancer Center ranked #6 Cancer hospital in the nation by U.S News and World report, #1 in the Southeast.
Both clinical and bench research presented at local, regional, and national meetings.
Honors graduate in Medical School and College.