Dr Zenia Chow

Dr Zenia Chow is Australian dual fellowship trained Otolaryngologist (ENT) Head and Neck Surgeon specializing in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.  She was born and raised in Australia and completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery with honours after obtaining a full academic scholarship at the University of Melbourne. Dr Chow was in the Dean’s Honours list during her undergraduate studies. Initially, she began training in General Surgery in Victoria.  Subsequently, she underwent ENT training in Perth, Western Australia and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2013. 

Dr Chow has extensive experience in Head and Neck, and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery after completing 3 Clinical Fellowships. She completed a Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship recognised by the Australasian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery (AAFPS) in Perth under the guidance of Dr Tuan Pham.  Following this, she completed Head and Neck and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowships at the University of Virginia, USA under the guidance of Professor Paul Levine and Professor Stephen Park who are internationally renowned surgeons in their field. In addition, she spent time furthering her skills with world leaders – Professor Wayne Larrabee and Professor Kris Moe in Facial Plastic Surgery at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA.  During her fellowships, Dr Chow received advanced training in complex and revision rhinoplasty, skin cancer, facial cosmetic surgery, facial reconstruction, facial trauma and head and neck oncology.

In 2014 she was awarded the American Academy of Otolaryngology International Travel Grant and Perth Convention Centre Travel Grant.  Dr Chow has also successfully passed the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery exam sponsored by the AAFPS. She was awarded the second highest score out of all international candidates and following completion of this exam she was recognised as a fully qualified Specialist in Facial Plastic Surgery by the Australasian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. She is the only surgeon in Victoria who has this qualification and completed a Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship.

Dr Chow is actively involved in teaching ENT Registrars and medical students, and believes in the importance of training the next generation of surgeons. In addition, she is involved in tutorials and demonstrating at courses in Melbourne and interstate.

Dr Chow was involved in the Healthy Ears Indigenous Health Program in the Mallee District as part of the ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative by the Federal Government.  This program is based at the Mallee District Aboriginal Health Service in Mildura and services patients from Victoria, NSW and South Australia.  She finds this work rewarding and has used her experience during her training in the Kimberley to improve the lives of Indigenous children.

In order to provide patients with the best care, Dr Chow keeps up-to-date by attending regular national and international conferences/courses.  She is active in research and has presented at national conferences on functional rhinoplasty, parotidectomy and cleft nasal deformity. 

Expertise:

• Rhinoplasty, primary, revision, functional, cosmetic

• Nasal airway and Sinus surgery, deviated septum, nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis

• Skin Cancer of the Head & Neck including melanoma, reconstruction facial defects

• Paediatric ENT including snoring, sleep apnoea, hearing loss, ear infections, tonsils, adenoids, grommets

• Head & Neck Surgery, parotid, submandibular gland

• Facial Plastic & Reconstructive surgery,

• Skin cancer surgery, scar revision, nasal trauma, eyelid, lip and ear surgery

• Facial rehabilitation after paralysis

• Facial aesthetic surgery, Otoplasty, facelift, lip lift, blepharoplasty