Giving Back in the Classroom: Dr. Boonipat Leads Suturing Workshop for Women in STEM at Texas Tech
This week, the classroom replaced the operating room for an afternoon. Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat, plastic surgeon and founder of FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute in Lubbock, joined Women in STEM — an undergraduate student organization at Texas Tech University — to lead a hands-on suturing workshop for premed students, followed by an open question-and-answer session about careers in medicine and surgery.
Hands-On Skills, Taught Early
For many premed students, the first time they hold a needle driver is years away, in medical school. At this workshop, students got that experience now. Working at suture pads with real instruments, they practiced the fundamentals of suturing technique — how to load a needle, drive it through tissue evenly, and tie a secure knot — with Dr. Boonipat moving table to table to coach grip, angle, and form.
Just as valuable was the conversation around the skills. Students asked what medical school is really like, how residency training works, how a surgeon chooses a specialty, and what day-to-day life in practice looks like. Honest answers to those questions are hard to find in a textbook, and they are often what help a student decide — with confidence — that medicine is the right path.
Why Mentorship Matters for Women in STEM
Women remain underrepresented in many surgical specialties, even as they make up a growing share of medical school classes. Early exposure and visible mentorship make a real difference: meeting a practicing surgeon, asking questions face to face, and trying a core surgical skill firsthand can turn an abstract ambition into a concrete plan.
That is exactly the kind of opportunity Women in STEM at Texas Tech creates for its members, and it is why FacePlus was glad to be part of it. Supporting organizations that encourage young women in science, technology, engineering, and medicine is an investment in the future of healthcare in West Texas.
Proud to Be Part of the Lubbock Community
FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute is based here in Lubbock, and many of our patients, friends, and neighbors are part of the Texas Tech community. Dr. Boonipat's own path — from engineering and medical training through residency, fellowship, and into practice — was shaped by teachers and mentors at every step. Teaching the next generation of physicians is one small way to pass that forward.
Thank you to the Women in STEM organizers at Texas Tech University for the invitation, and to every student who showed up curious and ready to learn. We can't wait to see where these future Red Raider physicians go next. Guns up!
Featured in the News
Coverage of this workshop was distributed nationally on October 26, 2026. Read the full story:
To learn more about Dr. Boonipat and FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute, visit our About page or contact our Lubbock office.
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