The Importance of Board Certification

The words "board certified" have a nice, official ring to them – and they should. In the medical profession, board certified means a physician has gone the extra mile to gain expertise in a specific specialty or subspecialty and that the medical board that governs that specialty has recognized his or her achievement.

It's important not to confuse “board certified” with “licensed”, or a medical specialty board with a state medical board. The latter is the governmental board that sets the minimum standard to practice in a particular state and issues medical licenses. It also disciplines physicians when necessary.

While a medical license is required to practice in a state, a medical specialty certification is voluntary on the part of the physician. Before certification can be obtained, a physician or surgeon must have a valid medical degree and a state license to practice medicine. Then he or she must complete a residency, practice in the specialty, and take and pass extensive exams, both written and oral. This process adds several years of experience to their training. The American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is the governing board for that specialty, requires surgeons to complete 3 years of general surgery and a 2 to 3 year residency in plastic surgery, plus 2 additional years of professional practice in addition to the exams to become board certified. To remain certified, surgeons must take Continuing Medical Education (CME) and reapply to the board.

Check to see if your surgeon is ABPS-certified by visiting its website, www.abplsurg.org.

Occasionally plastic surgeons are board certified in other specialties as well. Typically they include otolaryngology (ears, nose, and throat), dermatology (skin), and ophthalmology (eye diseases and surgery). These are governed by their respective boards which are part of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Having more than one board certification is a positive when it comes to plastic surgeons.

You can check your surgeon's credentials at the ABMS website, www.abms.org.

There are also professional organizations in the field of plastic surgery. They are the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Membership is voluntary, and both organizations lay down strict requirements for their members. The website for ASAPS is www.surgery.org, and that of ASPS is www.plasticsurgery.org.

Board certified means a physician or surgeon has additional education and training in his or her field, and that they have met or exceeded the high standards required for certification. All of our TrustedPlasticSurgery surgeons are board certified.

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