Choosing Board Certified Plastic Surgeons

Published September 29, 2014

Choosing Board Certified Plastic Surgeons

Are you interested in undergoing a surgical procedure and looking for the right plastic surgeon for the operation? Board certification is certainly one of the things that people ought to look out for when it comes to choosing such a surgeon. Why is it important though? What does it actually mean when surgeons are said to be board certified? Now think about it – would you go to a dermatologist to have a breast augmentation mammoplasty? Would you trust a gynaecologist to give you a skin graft? Probably not but that’s exactly what could happen if you undergo surgery without knowing whether your plastic surgeon is board certified or not!

We all know that medical practitioners all need a license for their trade but did you know that anyone with a medical license can legally offer surgical operations no matter their background and level of experience? Over the years, surgery has become an exceptionally lucrative industry generating billions of dollars in revenue every year. Not surprisingly, there are doctors who pass themselves off as plastic surgeons in Sydney and offering such services without actually undergoing any specialised training.

If you want to make sure that you are opting for a properly trained and experienced plastic surgeon in Australia, you’ll have to make sure that you choose one that is certified by a reputable body such as the ASPS (Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons) and the FRACS (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons). Doing so not only ensures that you are entrusting your body to plastic surgeons that are actually qualified for the task but more importantly, you’d be less likely to encounter any costly and potentially life-threatening complications because of a surgical operation.

The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons is the foremost certifying body in Australia among plastic surgeons and recognises qualified practitioners as one that is competent to offer surgical services to patients under their care. Be wary of some surgeons that claim to be “board certified” with no certification from the ASPS. Be aware of so called “boards” out there most of which are non-accredited and unrecognised by the medical community.

In order to become certified by ASPS, plastic surgeons must possess a medical degree from a reputable school of medicine and become a licensed medical practitioner. In addition, the surgeon must have served 5 years as a resident surgeon with at least 2 years experience in plastic surgery. Having met such requirements, a candidate surgeon must then pass a written and oral test by the ASPS. Only by satisfactorily completing all these requirements can plastic surgeons achieve the title of an ASPS board certified surgeon and have their names added to the ASPS registry.

How do I make sure that your surgeon is ASPS certified?

You can expect your plastic surgeon to tell you that he or she is board certified but don’t simply take their word for it. You can check on the matter yourself by contacting the certifying body. ASPS has made this quick and easy by providing an online database of accredited surgeons on their website. Of course board certification is not everything – people have to look at other factors when choosing a plastic surgeon such as references, before and after portfolios, the consultation process and the amount of experience the surgeon has

Are you looking for a board-certified plastic surgeon? In addition to being certified by the ASPS, Dr Tavakoli is also possesses professional associations with several reputable organisations like Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Call us on 1300 368 107 to arrange a consultation.

Published By: Dr Kourosh Tavakoli

Dr Kourosh Tavakoli, MS, FRACS, is an Australian-trained plastic surgeon with over 20 years of surgical training. He is an active member of the International Society (ISAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). He is knowledgeable in plastic surgery of the breast and body and lectures extensively around the world on these topics.