What is a board certified plastic surgeon
What is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon?
Not all surgeons claiming to be "board certified" are the same. A physician can be certified with many boards in order to be able to state they are "board certified."
In choosing a plastic surgeon, you want to make sure they are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). That is the only board that is officially recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties in certifying Plastic Surgeons. Any other board certification will not ensure your surgeon has established the highest standards of care and ethics. Other boards may sound professional and legitimate, but they are not.
If your surgeon is ABPS certified, they will have met the following criteria:
- obtained their medical degree from an accredited medical school
- finished at least 3 years or more of general surgery residency training
- finished 2 or 3 years of specialized plastic surgery residency training
- completed at least 2 years of practice as a plastic surgeon
- passed a rigorous written exam in plastic surgery to qualify for the oral exam
- passed a vigorous and strenuous oral exam
Here is the link to check to see if your surgeon is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery: Check Certification Status