Center Cosmetic Surgery
Can ANY Doctor be Board Certified?
I am interested in plastic surgery. I have been told to ask if the surgeon is board certified. Every surgeon I have called has said yes. I thought this was strange...so what is so special then about board certification? I then started asking this question to every kind of doctor I spoke to. Every single one said yes. I am so frustrated. What is it about having to ask the question about being board certified if everyone IS?!
Public Comments
- No -- they cannot. I think you are looking in the wrong area. I would focus on contacting the certifying board to see what academic and training experience is required to issue certification. A "plastic surgeon" is a physian who has specialized education and training. They earn addition degree and board certification that can be found in their titles. As an example, a DDS (dentist) is not certified to perform certain reconstructive tasks -- like jaw realignment. A maxillofacial surgeon is.
- No, not just anyone can be board certified. However, most docs practicing in the US are. You pretty much have to be to be safe and practice legally. There are many surgeons who are not and who don't therefore practice legally. This is especially prevalent in plastic surgery. Sometimes people don't care that the doctor is qualified or credentialed and will go to a doctor who is not certified to save money. It's a foolish and dangerous decision.
- No, not every doctor is. For example, there are dermatologists who do cosmetic/plastic surgery, too. They may be board certified dermatologist, but they are not board certified in plastic surgery. That's what you need to look out for. Make sure the surgeon you decide on only does plastic/cosmetic surgery.
- You must meet the qualifications the hardest of which is length of practice time.
- HELLO, YOUR QUESTION HAS SOME PECULIAR ANSWERS. WHAT I MEAN IS THAT CERTAIN SPECIALTIES ARE SUCH THAT A CERTIFICATION IS GIVEN TO THAT PARTICULAR DOCTOR THAT A SPECIAL REVIEW BOARD HAS EXAMINED HIS TRAINING AND CERTIFIED HIM IN THAT SPECIALTY. EG., NEUROLOGY, PLASTIC SURGERY, OB/GYN, PSYCHIATRY, ETC. FOR EXAMPLE A DOCTOR'S LICENSE TO PRACTICE SAYS, "JOHN DOE PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON." WHAT HE DECIDES TO DO AFTERWARD DEPEND ON HIS SUBSEQUENT TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE.
