Good news! Great news actually- I’m a board certified plastic surgeon! I found out on Friday Jan 8th that I passed the American Board of Plastic Surgery certification exam. I am now a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Since board certification in plastic surgery is required for Active membership status in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), I am in the process of applying to become an ASPS member surgeon. Since I’m already board-certified in General Surgery, I can now claim that I’m a double-board certified Plastic Surgeon.
In the United States, there are about twenty medical specialities that are recognized by the only medical board accrediting organization: The American Board of Medical Specialities (ABMS). Plastic surgery is one of those specialities. ‘Cosmetic Surgery’ is not.
Any surgeon that claims to be ‘board certified’ in ‘cosmetic surgery’ is NOT certified by a specialty board that is recognized by the ABMS.
In our community, ASPS member surgeons are certified to do any type of plastic surgery they wish to do- this includes all types of cosmetic surgery and skin care, reconstructive surgery, hand surgery etc. The foundations for cosmetic surgical procedures are rooted in reconstructive surgery. Many so-called ‘cosmetic surgeons’ have received little to no training in reconstructive surgery. These surgeons are not prepared to deal with many complex cosmetic surgical procedures (and their complications)- so they stick with liposuction and breast augmentation procedures which are relatively safe.
When you sit down with a surgeon to discuss a procedure- ask the individual the following questions:
1. Are you board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? If not, WHY NOT?
2. Do you have hospital privileges to do the procedure we are discussing, if I chose to have it done at the hospital? If not, WHY NOT?
3. Do you perform reconstructive plastic surgery? If not, WHY NOT?
Some links to explore
American Board of Medical Specialities
American Board of Plastic Surgery
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Happy New Year everybody!
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