Select a board certified plastic surgeon in Scottsdale when considering your plastic surgery procedure. Not all surgeons performing procedures such as breast augmentation or labiaplasty are board certified plastic surgeons, so it is important to understand the distinction.
What Makes a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
The process to become a board-certified plastic surgeon involves several steps:
- Medical education: To become a plastic surgeon, an individual must first complete a four-year medical degree program.
- Surgical residency: After earning their medical degree, a plastic surgeon must complete a surgical residency program. This typically lasts for five to eight years and includes training in various surgical specialties, including plastic surgery. A plastic surgery residency completed by a board-certified plastic surgeon provides comprehensive training in all aspects of plastic surgery including oncologic and traumatic reconstructive surgery, microsurgery, hand surgery, pediatric and craniofacial surgery, and aesthetic surgery.
- Board certification: After completing their training, a plastic surgeon may apply to become board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). The ABPS is a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and is recognized as the gold standard in plastic surgery certification.