About Dr. Alina Sholar

Education

Dr. Alina Sholar, known for true connection with her patients, grew up in Orange, TX. After receiving a full-tuition merit scholarship from the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation in Orange, she received her BS degree in Biomedical Science with Magna Cum Laude honors at Texas A&M University in 1994 and an MD degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1999. She was there awarded the prestigious Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Award and Achievement Citation for Women in Medicine. She completed a full five-year residency, including Chief Resident, in General Surgery at the University of Louisville in 2004, where she was awarded Best Resident Instructor and Mentor by the students of the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She continued her study of surgery by completing an additional residency in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Tennessee, serving as Chief Resident in 2006. She received multiple awards and publications in research areas such as the efficacy of treatment at Tertiary Care Wound Centers and the advanced reconstructive techniques required after major facial trauma and infections. She was certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 2008.

Career

Today, Dr. Sholar owns Skin Science Soul by Dr. Sholar, her plastic surgery and medical aesthetic practice, as well as being the owner and CEO of Serenity Medical Centers in Austin and San Antonio, and Sage Practice Solutions- a medical practice consulting firm in Austin. Skin Science Soul, Sage Practice Solutions, and Serenity Medical Centers have a global service initiative as well as locally in the Austin community. Skin Science Soul purposefully supports woman-owned businesses and donates to causes that benefit women and children and the communities they live in. For example, she held “Beauty Brunch” events, where she used profits to purchase a school bus for a community church to bring women and children in need to their doctor’s appointments, to attend church and take advantage of church resources, and to be able to come together and connect at community functions.

Art

In addition to her professional endeavors as a plastic surgeon, Dr. Alina Sholar is a medical illustrator and an accomplished professional artist, with personal artwork displayed in galleries and storefronts. Her medical artwork has been published in prestigious medical journals and textbooks such as the Annals of Plastic Surgery, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Journal, Annals of Surgical Oncology, and Cameron’s Current Surgical Therapy. From a very young age, Dr, Sholar was creating beauty. This natural artistic talent and understanding of human anatomy is demonstrated in her ability to create beautiful and natural enhancements in cosmetic aesthetic surgery and advanced techniques in non-invasive injectable treatments.

Pro Bono Consulting

Dr. Sholar also provides pro bono business consulting for women entrepreneurs in need. On the global scale, Dr. Sholar encouraged and coached a young woman- a single mother of two in Chennai, India- who was financially and physically oppressed by her employers, to start her own medical billing business. Through close counsel of Dr. Sholar, she now has been in business for more than one year and has gained financial independence for herself, but she also now employs 3 other women whose families are 100% sustained by her business as well- a beautiful example of the ripple effect we have on women.

Mentorship

Dr. Sholar mentors young female physicians and non-physician entrepreneurs. In the medical field, only 35% of physicians are women, so it already starts out as a lonely group. By the time they finish residency, only 19% of surgeons are female. As far as plastic surgeons, just 2% are women. And to narrow it down even further, an estimated measly .025% are also independent entrepreneurs running their own businesses full of regulation and commitment above and beyond any ordinary business environment. So, she fully understands how difficult it can be.

Some of the issues challenging women in leadership positions in medicine are the same as those in the non-medical business world such as pay disparity, sexual harassment, gender inequality and perception from colleagues, the public, and patients alike. Dr. Sholar herself has been the target of more instances of these types of issues that she cared to admit. It is difficult for women in any business to navigate without mentorship and support, so Dr. Sholar has dedicated herself to be available for them. They together even tackle topics like body shaming, imposter syndrome, and other issues that are bothersome for many female leaders and can hold them back. She has female college students and medical students shadow her in the operating room, in the business office, and in executive meetings, guiding them to make solid decisions for their careers in and outside of medicine.