Doctor Robert Rehnke received his medical degree from Duke University Medical School in 1987. He did his General Surgery residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial program from 1987-1992. During the mid point of his time there, the Minimally Invasive Surgery revolution hit when Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy procedures were introduced. Being one of the first surgeons at the hospital to learn this new technology had a huge impact on his career. Jackson Memorial Hospital was a large and busy county hospital. The General Surgery residency lived by the dictum: See one, do one, teach one. This meant that Dr. Rehnke was soon instructing tenured professors of surgery on how to perform  this all together new procedure. That a doctor can learn new techniques (that were not taught by his professors) and then pass this knowledge on to other surgeons, was a profound lesson learned at Jackson. The desire to  be a part of medical innovation infected Dr. Rehnke during these years and has continued to define his career.

In 1992 Rehnke went back to Duke for a three year residency in Plastic Surgery. Six months of this time was set aside for independent study and research. Doctor Rehnke chose anatomic research, performing multiple cadaver dissections. Out of this research sprang many innovations in facial, breast and carpal tunnel release surgery. Despite starting a solo private practice in Plastic Surgery in Saint Petersburg (1995), Dr. Rehnke continued to be involved with research and innovation. He lectured at Plastic Surgery conventions, served as consultant to industry leaders in surgery, and has been awarded four US Patents and three provisional patents. Ten years ago, Dr. Rehnke founded The Center for Surgical Excellence, which is registered in the State of Florida and certified by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities. This is a surgical center practicing outside the confines of insurance for patients choosing fee for service medicine. Plastic Surgeons have long lead the country in the concept of, “patient centered care,” and are positioned to expand this model to medical treatments traditionally covered by insurance as inpatient hospital procedures, which will be covered out of pocket as part of high deductible plans.

In 2012 Dr.Rehnke founded ReCon Surgical.com, the worlds first Health Care Innovation Social Network. ReCon is an open source innovation site for advances in medicine that has people of diverse educational and professional backgrounds networked together in an effort to share ideas for the betterment of Medicine. It has over a hundred members from five continents and across the US. It has already lead to three products in the development pipeline and could be a steady source of ideas and innovations needed to meet Health Care’s challenging future. Dr. Rehnke believes Health Care Reform models will need to deliver better care, cures, and lower costs through disruptive innovations in treatments, procedures, and delivery systems.