WD Spotlight: Cameron Craven, MD FACS
This is the first of a new series designed to introduce you to the people behind Westlake Dermatology.
Dr. Cameron Craven was the first plastic surgeon to join our WD team back in 2007. Since then, he has provided his cosmetic expertise to thousands of patients from Austin and beyond. Dr. Craven recently shared a little more about himself in an interview.
1) Why did you decide to become a plastic surgeon?
My interest in plastic surgery began in college. My entire life I’ve enjoyed working with my hands, building things, taking things apart and putting them back together. This coupled with the desire to help people led me to the surgical sub-specialties as an area of interest.
As a premedical student at the University of Texas in Austin, I had the opportunity to meet with a number of different types of physicians. These encounters, as well as experiences in medical school, showed me that plastic surgery was the most appropriate match for my personality and skill set. Plastic surgery offers the opportunity to work with patients of all ages and to perform many different types of surgery anywhere on the body. Essentially, it became clear that the field of plastic surgery was limited only by the imagination and creativity of the practitioner. This breadth of practice coupled with a lifestyle that is conducive for family life made it clear to me that plastic surgery would be a perfect fit.
2) What is your favorite procedure to perform and why?
I’m often asked what my favorite procedure to perform is. This is a difficult question to answer because part of what drew me to the field plastic surgery was the great variety of cases that I am able to perform. I think if I were forced to only perform one procedure all the time it would take much of the joy out of the job. That being said, procedures that I perform most often and enjoy the most include cosmetic breast surgery, facial surgery and body contouring procedures.
3) What do you enjoy doing when you are not at work?
When I’m not at work I enjoy spending time with my wife, Nicole, and our two children Chloe and Casen. With two small children, their activities keep us pretty busy, but I also enjoy boating on Lake Travis and traveling.
4) Where is your favorite place to travel to?
It’s been hard to find time to travel as much as we want to lately, but our favorite vacation was certainly our honeymoon in Tahiti. We hope to be able to travel more as the kids get older so we will be able to enjoy watching them see the world for the first time.
5) How long have you lived in Austin?
My family moved to Austin when I was three. I lived in Austin most of my life until graduation from college in 1997. After four years in medical school and six years of residency training, I moved back to Austin and joined Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery.
6) What do you like most about Austin?
What I love most about Austin is its beauty and laid-back nature while still being a major metropolitan city. Additionally, being family oriented, the excellent public and private school systems are a major factor.
Click here to read more about Dr. Craven.
A united group of skin care specialists from Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Austin's leader in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Articles posted under WD staff are authored through combined contributions from our entire team, including Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Physician Assistants, Aesthetic Nurses, and Patient Coordinators.