CLEVELAND — An Ohio plastic surgeon is carving a name for himself, and not in the traditional way. 
 

What You Need To Know

  • Dr. Gregory Fedele finished his plastic surgery training in 1998 and has been in private practice since

  • For the past six years, he's been carving highly detailed pumpkins and other squash for Halloween

  • Fedele said he hopes to take his talents to a Halloween competition show
 
Dr. Gregory Fedele said he performs four to ten procedures a week in the operating room, but during the Halloween season he sharpens his skills through pumpkin carving. 

“Sometimes it’s like surgery,” he said. “I can be in the OR a long period of time, you know, wanting it to be perfect.”  

He said his artistic talents come in handy for his field. 

“You’re better at visualizing the procedure and how the procedure might look on somebody,” he said. 

Something he also draws on when shaping squash. 

“It’s kind of fun to get lost in it,” he said. “Next thing you know, it’s five hours later and everybody’s asleep and I’m still carving.”

He said he’s been perfecting his Halloween hobby for about six years, challenging himself with more complex creations. Many with intricate details and realistic facial expressions. 

The tools of this trade are a little different from Fedele’s day job, except for one. 

“This is a regular scalpel I would use in surgery to make incisions in skin,” he said. “Since I use this every day in the OR, it’s just easier.”

He said he carefully carves each detail, knowing that patience makes perfect. 

“The hardest part is deciding when you’re really done because you can fuss with it,” he said. 

Fedele said he got the idea for carving from social media. He said he hopes to compete in a Halloween show on the Food Network someday.