Cosmetic Surgeon Education

Before choosing a cosmetic surgeon or a plastic surgeon, be sure he or she is appropriately educated and board certified. Here we'll describe the educational trajectory to give you a sense of how finely trained a reputable cosmetic surgeon or plastic surgeon must be:

Physicians who pursue cosmetic surgery hail from various backgrounds as the field of medicine lacks a residency program designed solely for cosmetic surgery. A physician first must put him or herself through medical school and a residency program, ideally in a surgical field such as general surgery, otolaryngology (head and neck surgery), dermatologic surgery or plastic surgery.

After honing knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology and basic sciences, a physician may obtain board certification in his or her specialty and then continue on to post-residency training in cosmetic surgery though fellowships, workshops, seminars and lectures. Physicians that are amply experienced in cosmetic surgery may then choose to become certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.

Plastic surgeons follow an educational track similar to most cosmetic surgeons. After completing medical school they undergo a residency in plastic surgery, learning how to correct defects of the face and body such as deformities, burn tissue, tumors and cleft palates. When the residency is complete, the physician may become certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The same steps are taken to gain cosmetic surgery experience and onward toward certification by the American Board of Cosmetic surgery.