Theodore A. Lazzaro, owner and founder of Aestique Plastic Surgery of Greensburg, Shadyside, and Wexford, has gifted $50,000 to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to establish the Dr. Theodore A. Lazzaro Scholarship for students pursuing a degree in a healthcare field.
The scholarship is available to full-time students at IUP who are pursuing a degree in a healthcare field, with preference given to students who graduated from high schools located within Indiana County or Westmoreland County.
From left: Theodore Lazzaro, founder and medical director of Aestique Medical Center, and Eugene Bonaroti, board-certified neurosurgeon on the medical staff of Aestique Surgical Center.
“I believe that a college education not only changes lives, but it transforms generations,” Lazzaro said. “It is the key to a better life for people who want to serve the community and improve people’s quality of life. This scholarship presents a powerful commitment with IUP to support and advance the development of programs and interventions that improve access to quality care by educating healthcare providers and improving the diagnosis and management of medical conditions.”
Miko Rose, founding dean of IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine, was the keynote speaker for Aestique’s 2024 Founders Day Ceremony, which recognized the significant and sustained lifetime achievements of Lazzaro and the staff and physicians of Aestique Medical Center.
IUP has formally initiated steps towards accreditation of a proposed college of osteopathic medicine from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. Rose was hired as the founding dean of the proposed college of osteopathic medicine in November 2023; the hiring of a founding dean is one of the first steps to establishing the college.
Rose, named one of Pennsylvania’s Fifty Over 50 top leaders in 2024 by City & State Pennsylvania, is one of fewer than 150 physicians elected as a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists by the Fellows of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists/American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists.
More than 2,400 current IUP students are in healthcare majors, which are primarily housed in the IUP College of Health Sciences. IUP’s College of Health Sciences includes the Department of Allied Health and Public Health, the Department of Nursing, and the Department of Psychology, offering degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels.
“We are very grateful to Dr. Lazzaro and Aestique Plastic Surgery for this generous scholarship,” IUP Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences Hilliary Creely said. “This will help our talented and committed students to pursue their goals in our many healthcare professions, and help to address IUP’s commitment to rural health,” she said.
IUP’s healthcare programs include IUP’s master’s in nursing programs, including nursing administration (part of the Eberly College of Business), nursing education, and health services administration. The PhD programs are Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) to PhD, and PhD in Nursing. IUP also offers a Nursing Simulation and Technology Certificate of Recognition. IUP’s nursing students at all levels are routinely recognized nationally for excellence, and IUP’s nursing graduates currently hold a 94.49 percent first-time passing rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
Annually, more than 125 nursing students graduate from IUP’s Nursing program, which holds accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The Allied and Public Health Department offers bachelor’s degrees in exercise science, medical imaging, nuclear medicine technology, diagnostic medical sonography, echocardiography, medical technology, nutrition, nutrition/dietetics, nutrition/food and health, pre-athletic training, public health, public health/emergency medicine, respiratory care, and speech-language pathology, along with minors and certificates in exercise science, nutrition and public health, and community nutrition.
Graduate programs offered by the department include athletic training, food and nutrition, dietitian-nutritionist, speech-language pathology, sports science/exercise science, and sports science/strength and conditioning.
In addition to its degree programs, faculty and students in Allied and Public Health programs provide several healthcare services to members of the IUP community and surrounding areas, including the Center for Sports Science and Research, Institute for Rural Health and Safety, Nutrition Connection, Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic, and Sports Performance Nutrition Services.
IUP’s Department of Psychology offers a bachelor’s degree in psychology (and psychology honors track) along with a minor in psychology and a minor and certificate in child and adult advocacy studies.
IUP’s doctor of psychology degree in clinical psychology (PsyD) places emphasis on professional applications of psychology and is accredited by the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. IUP’s Center for Applied Psychology provides advanced professional training to doctoral students and psychological services to the community.
About Aestique and Dr. Lazzaro
Theodore A. Lazzaro has devoted his entire career as a board-certified plastic surgeon and, in the process, paved the way for others to follow in enhancing the advancement of the aesthetic industry in the region with the support of his family.
In addition to his work practicing plastic surgery for more than 40 years and as the founder and medical director of Aestique Medical Center, Lazzaro has been actively involved in numerous professional and community boards and associations. He has built and grown a world-class aesthetic practice through his outstanding vision and business acumen, exhibited a history of entrepreneurship, and developed a state-of-the-art 14,000 square foot, multispecialty surgery center featuring plastics, orthopedics, neurosurgery, oculoplastic, ophthalmology, and pain management. The Aestique Surgery Center has been recognized nationally by Newsweek, listed in the top five percent of the more than 270 surgical centers in Pennsylvania.
In addition, both the Aestique Surgery Center and Medical Spa have received recognition from the readers and patients of the Center’s regional newspapers. The patient experience and satisfaction scores have consistently exceeded the top quartile, and the annual Surgery Center infection rates have also been consistently under one percent.
Lazzaro is a distinguished, board-certified plastic surgeon by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and served as the president of the Greater Pittsburgh Plastic Surgical Society from 1995 to 1996. A highly accomplished scholar, he graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 1965 and went on to earn a doctor of dental medicine degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. His extensive training includes a rigorous three-year residency in oral surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also held a professorship in oral surgery.
Lazzaro furthered his medical education by earning his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery training at the prestigious University of California, San Francisco, before advancing into specialized training in aesthetic, plastic, and reconstructive surgery at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Since beginning his private practice in 1979, he has consistently demonstrated visionary leadership, founding Aestique Medical Center in 1988 and establishing a pioneering medical spa in 2000. Most recently, in 2024, he launched a state-of-the-art surgery center, further solidifying Aestique as a premier destination for comprehensive aesthetic care.
Renowned for his expertise, Lazzaro attracts patients from Greensburg, Pittsburgh, and surrounding regions to Aestique, where he specializes in a broad spectrum of surgical procedures, including facial surgery, body contouring, and breast enhancement.
As the medical director of Aestique Medical Center, he is an active and respected member of both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Despite his numerous accolades and professional achievements, Lazzaro remains steadfast in his commitment to one central goal: enhancing the quality of life for his patients. He approaches each case holistically, focusing on building strong relationships rooted in trust, clear communication, and confidence. Lazzaro’s philosophy centers on not just enhancing his patients’ physical appearance, but on improving their overall well-being, ensuring they leave his care feeling empowered and uplifted.
Lazzaro holds memberships in the following medical organizations: American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Medical Association, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Ohio Valley Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Latrobe Academy of Medicine, Lipoplasty Society of North America, Greater Pittsburgh Plastic Surgical Society (former president), Ivy Society; Northwest Plastic Surgical Society, Certified in Laser Skin Resurfacing, Leukemia Society (former board member), and University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (former trustee).
IUP’s Council of Trustees endorsed the exploration of a possible development of a college of osteopathic medicine at IUP in December 2022. There are only three colleges of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania, all at private universities; IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine would be the only college of osteopathic medicine at a public university.
National studies show that graduates from programs of osteopathic medicine are more likely to pursue primary care in rural and underserved areas—57 percent of all doctors of osteopathic medicine practice as general practitioners, and more than 20 percent of DO graduates practice in rural areas. Demand is high for osteopathic medicine training: in 2021, 22,708 applicants competed for 8,280 seats at schools of osteopathic medicine.