Certification from the board of members of ABMS, such as the ABPS certification in plastic surgery, is recognized as the “gold standard” in medical certification. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the only member board of the ABMS that certifies plastic surgeons in full-body reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Although the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, which is not a member of the ABMS, certifies doctors from a variety of specialties, including little or no training in plastic surgery procedures, “the certification requirements are considerably lower than those met by “true board-certified plastic surgeons.” In a nutshell, this is a group of doctors with diverse specialized backgrounds who want to apply for “Board certification” in cosmetic surgery, since they don't want to advertise the fact that they DO NOT have full training in plastic surgery, that they have been trained in other areas of medicine, but who still want to be considered as “specialists in cosmetic surgery”.Tholen completed full 5-year residencies in General Surgery and both received certification from the American Board of Surgery (a member board of the ABMS). Otolaryngology is a recognized avenue for obtaining plastic surgery grants, but an additional 3 years are required after training in otorhinolaryngology. Individuals can contact their state's medical board to verify that the doctor they are investigating is properly licensed and for more information about their education and certification, as well as the details of any disciplinary measures.
The ABPS (unlike other cosmetic surgery boards) is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which sets very strict standards for obtaining board certification to ensure that patients are more likely to undergo successful procedures. A growing number of doctors, dentists and oral surgeons also identify themselves as “facial plastic surgeons” and offer a variety of cosmetic surgery procedures. A board-certified plastic surgeon must have at least five years of surgical experience, including a plastic surgery residency program. The 1 or 2 years of additional training in plastic surgery subspecialties is a big difference between “facial plastic surgeons” and fully trained “plastic surgeons”.
The ABPS is an independent, not-for-profit certification body that promotes demanding and rigorous standards for the entire spectrum of plastic surgery. However, just because a doctor is licensed to practice medicine doesn't mean he or she should be your first choice when seeking plastic surgery. In addition to board certification, there are other factors to consider when choosing a plastic surgeon, including the surgeon's experience, especially with regard to the procedure of interest. Any surgeon who calls himself a plastic surgeon or “cosmetic surgeon” must be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, not by a “false board or board” of a specialty that has little or nothing to do with plastic surgery.
With the advent of less invasive plastic surgery techniques, more and more generalists are offering treatments that were previously considered exclusively plastic surgery. Ultimately, however, patients can opt for a surgeon who has met all of the additional rigorous standards and professional requirements for certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
