Dr. Ehighibe wins 2025 Constable International Traveling Fellowship from American Association of Plastic Surgeons

By Ugo Aliogo

Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Head of the Plastic Surgery Unit at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, Dr. Amaka Patricia Ehighibe has been named the 2025 recipient of the Constable International Traveling Fellowship from the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) at the association’s annual scientific conference which held from May 26th to 27th 2025 in Austin Texas, USA.

The John Constable award ranks high amongst some of of the most prestigious recognitions in global plastic surgery. The fellowship, awarded annually by the AAPS, honours surgeons whose research and clinical contributions demonstrate outstanding promise on the international stage. Giving them an opportunity to visit the United States with a goal to learn, network and promote good will and academic interchange among surgeons of the international and American surgical communities.
For Dr. Ehighibe, a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons and Global Surgery Fellow of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, this recognition is the latest in a career defined by so many firsts.
As part of the fellowship, Dr. Ehighibe visited the University of Massachusetts Plastic Surgery department in Worcester, where she delivered what her hosts described as a standout academic presentation.

“Honoured to host this year’s AAPS Constable Fellow, distinguished Nigerian plastic surgeon,” wrote Dr. Joyce McIntyre of the University of Massachusetts Plastic Surgery department, adding that Dr. Ehighibe had delivered “one of the year’s absolute best grand rounds.”

The reception in Worcester was a testament to the calibre of work Dr. Ehighibe has been doing, rooted in the realities of surgical practice in Nigeria, but with implications that resonate far beyond the borders of the country.

For Dr. Ehighibe, the recognition carries a significance that stretches well beyond the personal: “Global validation for African women in medicine and surgery represents recognition that their expertise, leadership, research, and contributions are valuable on the international stage,” she says.
“International recognition therefore carries meaning beyond personal achievement; it affirms competence, resilience, and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to global healthcare and academic surgery.”

She is equally clear about what greater visibility for African women in surgical spaces can achieve: “It creates pathways for mentorship and inspires younger women and girls to pursue careers in surgery and academic medicine, fields in which female representation remains limited in many parts of Africa.”
But for Dr. Ehighibe, international recognition is only meaningful if it feeds back into the communities that need it most: “Global validation should ultimately translate into stronger local health systems, increased investment in training and research, greater collaboration, and improved access to quality care for underserved populations,” she says.

“When African women in medicine and surgery are empowered and recognized globally, the impact extends beyond the individual to patients, institutions, and entire communities.”

Through it all, Dr. Ehighibe remains grounded, and she now aims to extend to the next generation of African women in surgery watching from the wings.