Finding A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

April 27th, 2009 by author

The best way to feel completely at ease in the care of your surgeon is to do a thorough investigation into his or her background before you make a commitment. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is an organization that has a list of board certified surgeons in your area. Be aware that any doctor can claim to be board certified or skilled in a particular area. It is your responsibility to uncover the truth as to whether he or she truly is a board certified plastic surgeon.

A surgeon must meet stringent requirements in order to become a board certified plastic surgeon through the ASPS. The baseline education requirements include graduation from an accredited medical school and completion of five or more years of additional residency. Inside those five years of residency, he or she must have a minimum of three years of general surgery experience in an accredited program, as well as two years of plastic surgery experience in a residency program. On top of those requirements, he or she must be actively practicing cosmetic plastic surgery for two years and successfully pass comprehensive oral and written exams.

The ASPS is the only board dedicated to overseeing regulations in the field and so doctors who hold this certification are the only ones allowed to perform any type of plastic surgery procedure or treatment. The ASPS is a helpful tool for those seeking cosmetic plastic surgery because they can rest assured that the doctor they have chosen underwent extensive residency, training and work experience. Make sure you choose a doctor that is board certified in the area that you want improved. For instance, you would want to get liposuction from a doctor who is board certified in plastic surgery instead of a facial plastic surgeon since that surgeon doesn’t specialize in the procedure you want.

To find out if your physician is board certified, a patient can visit the ASPS Web site at www.plasticsurgery.org to verify a specific medical specialty. This gives you the chance to learn if a certain doctor you are interested in has completed the required training and is working toward certification.

Although it is important to take into consideration personal qualities of your surgeon, like communication skills, sincerity and patience, the most important first step in your journey should be choosing a board certified plastic surgeon. Remember also that just because a doctor is board certified does not mean that he or she can meet your aesthetic plastic surgery needs. A background check is simply a starting point in the process.