Thursday, February 28, 2008

How To Find Out If Your Cosmetic Surgeon Is Board-Certified

How To Find Out If Your Cosmetic Surgeon Is Board-Certified
A board-certified cosmetic surgeon can't guarantee perfect
results, but there is nothing that can replace the
education and experience of a surgeon who has devoted their
life to improving yours.

Patients are advised to find a doctor who is certified by
the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), the only
board recognized by the American Board of Medical
Specialties to certify a surgeon in plastic surgery of the
face and of the entire body. Certification by the ABPS is
one of the highest accomplishments for a plastic surgeon
because it means that the surgeon has formal training in an
accredited plastic surgery residency program and is
required to maintain their certification through an
extensive on-going training and certification.

About American Board of Plastic Surgery:

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) qualifies a
surgeon to perform both body and facial procedures. The
American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) which is
expressly designed to provide public protection through
quality control in medical education states the "ABPS is
the only one of the 24 ABMS member boards providing
certification in the entire field of plastic and
reconstructive surgery from head to toe."

If your surgeon is ABPS-certified, they will have:

*BACHELOR'S DEGREE- Usually Pre-Med or Biology, but not
required to be.

*MCAT- A 6 hour exam to get into Medical School.

*MEDICAL DEGREE-"MD"-4 years of med-school and passing the
Boards (a 2 day/12 hour exam) Part I and Part II (another 2
day/12 hour exam).

*Upon graduating medical school, one is considered an "MD,"
but can only practice in a residency program until they
become a licensed physician.

*RESIDENCY- "On the job training" of at least three years.

*Five to seven years are required for American Board of
Plastic Surgery certified plastic surgeons.

*LICENSED PHYSICIAN -After completing 1 year of residency
and passing Boards Part III, then they are considered a
General Practitioner or "GP". A GP has not had any training
in surgery, no less plastic surgery.

*CANDIDATE MEMBER (a.k.a. BOARD ELIGIBLE)- One has
completed the required training in plastic surgery
residency and has been in [private] practice for at least
two years.*

*APPROVED SURGICAL TRAINING- in plastic surgery and the
surgeon has successfully completed extensive written and
oral examination testing in the entire field of plastic and
reconstructive surgery of the entire body.

*BOARD CERTIFICATION-Passing certification is not required
for any doctor to practice medicine, but is important when
finding a good physician and determining if one is trained
to be a specialist, such as a plastic surgeon.

To verify a surgeon's certification status, contact either
of these organizations: The American Board of Plastic
Surgery or The American Board of Medical Specialties.
Verifying the status of your cosmetic surgeon is one of the
fist steps you should take when doing your cosmetic surgery
research.


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The Avalon Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery is located in
Lakewood and Olympia, Washington. Each of our surgeons is
Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
and has over 20 years of experience. Patient safety and
satisfaction is our #1 goal. Our art is to help patients'
look and feel their best. The Avalon Clinic wants you to
know that It Is Possible! Contact us at
http://www.avalonclinic.com or call 1-800-408-4444!

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