Christian John Vercler, MD

Christian J. Vercler, M.D. is a faculty member in the Section of Plastic Surgery in the Department of Surgery with a joint appointment in the Department of Neurosurgery at Michigan Medicine. He serves as Co-Chief of the Clinical Ethics Service of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan. He is a diplomate of both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Vercler received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Wheaton College (IL). He attended medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed general surgery training at Emory University and plastic surgery at the Harvard Plastic Surgery Program. He then did an additional fellowship in Craniofacial Surgery at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Vercler has a special interest in medical ethics. He completed a Fellowship in Clinical Ethics at the Emory University Center for Ethics and earned a Masters of Arts degree in Bioethics from Trinity. He currently serves as the Chair of the Pediatric Ethics Committee of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and is Co-Chair of the Adult Ethics Committee at Michigan Medicine. Additionally, he is chair of the Bioethics Committee of the Michigan State Medical Society and past chair of both the ASPS Ethics Committee and Ethics Interest Group of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

Dr. Vercler focuses primarily on pediatric plastic surgery and craniofacial deformities in children and adults.

University of Michigan Health participates with most health insurance plans.

Dr. Vercler's research focus is on ethical issues in surgery and ethics education in medical school and residency. He is also interested in clinical outcomes in children born with craniofacial anomalies.