Morani, Alma Dea (1907—)

American plastic surgeon. Born in New York City on March 21, 1907; daughter of Salvatore Morani (a sculptor) and Amalia (Gracci) Morani; New York University, B.S., 1928; Woman's Medical College, Pennsylvania, M.D., 1931.

Interned at St. James Hospital, Newark (1931–32); was surgeon resident, Woman's Medical Hospital, Philadelphia (1932–35); private practice, St. Louis University (1946–47); fellow in plastic surgery, University of Washington Medical School (1946–47); private practice in plastic surgery, Philadelphia (1948 on); associate surgeon, Roxborough Memorial Hospital (1940 on), Woman's Hospital (1938 on); chief of plastic surgery, St. Mary's Hospital (1948 on); professor of clinical surgery, Woman's Medical College (1950 on).

An American plastic surgeon and the first female member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Alma Dea Morani was drawn to the field of plastic surgery by her love of art, which had been inspired by her sculptor father Salvatore Morani. She has served as a role model for a generation of women who moved into a professional arena that previously had been occupied exclusively by men.

suggested reading:

Morantz, Regina Markell, et al., eds. In Her Own Words: Oral Histories of Women Physicians. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1985.

Solomon, M.P., and M.S. Granick, "Alma Dea Morani, MD—A Pioneer in Plastic Surgery," in Annals of Plastic Surgery. Vol. 38, no. 4. April 1997, pp. 431–436.

John Haag , Athens, Georgia