If you are considering plastic surgery for a cosmetic or reconstructive procedure, the single most important factor determining the outcome is..... your choice of surgeon.

To make this choice, you need to be able to evaluate the training, experience and credentials of the surgeon you are considering. And this is not an easy task.

Did you know that:

o Any medical doctor - even one without plastic surgery training - can call themselves a plastic surgeon? And that they can legally perform plastic surgery procedures.

o A dentist can legally perform a full face lift, nose reshaping or liposuction in their dental office.

o Any person with a basic medical degree can advertise themselves as a plastic surgeon.

o A physician can state that they are "board certified", although the "board" is not generally recognized by the medical community or profession. There are over 100 of these non-recognized boards in the United States (most formed in the past 10 years).

All of which means that you must carefully evaluate the background of any plastic surgeon you are considering. Since this evaluation process can be so complex, we have listed a four step process to help you in your selection of a plastic surgeon. While no selection process can guarantee a positive result, the process below can help you ensure that the surgeon you are considering has a very high level of medical training, experience and demonstrated competency.

Four Standard Questions for Checking the Credentials of a Plastic Surgeon

The First Question

Is the plastic surgeon Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery http://www.abplsurg.org, which is the certifying board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) http://www.abms.org ?

The ABMS was established in 1933 to set educational standards for the evaluation of physicians who practice medicine in one of 24 distinct specialties, such as Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Dermatology or Plastic Surgery. Since each distinct medical specialty has its own Certifying Board, and since the ABMS manages each Certifying Board, the ABMS is acknowledged by the medical profession as THE authority for board certification.

It's a little complex but your choice of surgeon should be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is supervised by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

It is important to note that Board Certification is in a specific area. A doctor who is "Board Certified", might have their certification in Dermatology or Internal Medicine, yet can still legally practice plastic surgery.

Note: You can check a physician's credentials in the following ways:

1) Using the internet, log onto www.abms.org and do a search for the physician.

2) Call the ABMS at 1-800-776-2378 to check on credentials, or visit their website at http://www.abms.org.

3) Check the ABMS Compendium of Certified Medical Specialists. This guide is available in most large libraries.

The Second Question

Is the Doctor a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons http://www.plasticsurgery.org?

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is a professional association of physicians who practice the medical specialty known as plastic surgery. It is the largest organization of plastic surgeons in the world. Founded in l93l, the society is composed of surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

The significance of this organization can be determined by a simple fact: 97% of plastic surgeons in the United States who are Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons provides you with the assurance that the physician has been Board Certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

And since only members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons can display the copyrighted symbol of the ASPS, this symbol is easily recognizes as an indicator of the plastic surgeon's training and credentials.

Note: You can check the physician's membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in the following ways:

1) Using the internet, log onto www.plasticsurgery.org and do a search for the physician.

2) Call the ASPS at 888-475-2784 to verify membership.

The Third Question

Does the plastic surgeon have plastic surgery privileges at a major hospital?

"Privileges" means the hospital has checked a surgeon's credentials and found the doctor to have the training and experience required to perform surgery in the doctor's field of medical specialty.

This question of hospital privileges can be very revealing as any medical professional can perform plastic surgery in their own offices or in an independent surgical suite, regardless of training or certification. A major hospital checks credentials and experience carefully, and will not typically allow a doctor without proper training and credentials to operate.

In choosing a surgeon, you should consider that any surgery carries a risk of complication. If the surgeon you choose does not have hospital privileges, and is planning on performing the procedure in his or her office or a private surgical suite, a surgical complication that requires hospital admission could present a major problem. If that surgeon does not have privileges at a major hospital, he or she may not be able to have a hospital admit you.

You should also recognize that if you choose a plastic surgeon without plastic surgery privileges at a major hospital, it means you give up a very substantial safeguard: The surgeon operating on you will be doing so without having his or her training and credentials reviewed by an experienced, knowledgeable and independent group of physicians.

Note: You can check on a physician's hospital privileges by phoning the hospital and asking for the Medical Staff office. Someone there will be able to verify (by phone or by mail) which of all the physicians in the Department of Plastic Surgery, are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

The Fourth Question

Is the physician willing to provide a copy of his or her curriculum vitae?

If so, you can look for membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons; Board Certification by the American Board of Medical Specialities (ABMS); and hospital affiliations or privileges. You should be wary of any physician who does not freely provide this document that shows training, experience and certification.

Other Factors in Selecting the Plastic Surgeon

o Although it is crucial to determine the credentials of a plastic surgeon, there are other factors to consider.

o How well do you communicate with the doctor?

o Does the doctor listen to your goals and concerns?

o Does the doctor carefully explain the procedure, covering all aspects such as pre-care before surgery and the post surgery follow up?

o How comfortable do you feel with the surgeon's ability to perform the procedure you want?

o Do you feel that you and the surgeon can be "partners" in working together to achieve a realistic result?

o Have you looked at the surgeon's before and after photos of the procedure you are considering?

o Does the surgeon encourage you to seek other opinions if you feel unsure?

In summary, you should be able to establish a high level of communication with your plastic surgeon and should feel a gut level of confidence that together you will achieve the outcome you seek. If you don't feel you have this, you should continue your search. There are highly qualified plastic surgeons that you can communicate with so keep searching until you find the doctor that makes you feel comfortable.

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