Dr Michael Wagels

Re-animation of the upper limb in tetraplegia and brachial plexus injuries, surgery of the hand and wrist, complex lower limb reconstruction, craniofacial reconstruction and management of complex cutaneous malignancies including melanoma.

Dr Michael Wagels is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon known for his commitment to innovation, research, and complex surgical care. He operates at Mater Private Hospital Mackay. 

Dr Wagels completed his surgical training in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth, and was awarded Fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2012. He holds a PhD from The University of Queensland, where his research into auto-transplanted muscle - aimed at preventing late surgical failures - continues to inform reconstructive practice today. 

In 2014, he undertook a Fellowship in Hand Surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, enhancing his expertise in microsurgery and upper limb reconstruction. 

A leader in surgical innovation, Dr Wagels founded the Skin Lesion Assessment and Management (SLAM) model of care, which enables same-day assessment and surgical treatment of skin lesions across multiple Queensland Health services. He also established the Australian Centre for Complex Integrated Surgical Solutions and serves as Clinical Director of the Herston Biofabrication Institute—Australia’s first public health initiative dedicated to point-of-care medical device manufacturing and bio fabrication research. 

Dr Wagels is a passionate educator and researcher. He has supervised 12 postgraduate research candidates and overseen more than 40 minor research projects. He also holds an academic appointment as Senior Lecturer at The University of Queensland. 

BMedSci, MBBS, FRACS (Plast), PhD

• Mater Private Hospital Mackay