What Does It Mean to Choose a Surgeon Who is Board Certified?
By Gregory Mantooth | Published on March 12, 2010 | 0 Comments
Whether you’re in the market for a nose job or breast augmentation, finding the right surgeon to perform your cosmetic procedure is your number one priority. Choosing a plastic surgeon can be challenging unto itself, but as you talk to professionals in the industry and people who have gone through the surgeon selection process before, you’ll hear the words “board certified” tossed around quite often. The question is: What does “board certified” actually mean?
Dr. Gregory A. Mantooth is a board certified plastic surgeon in practice at Charlotte, North Carolina’s Piedmont Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, and according to him, the term “board certified” is used to describe a surgeon who has achieved at least a certain level of academic success in his career. In addition, to become board certified, a surgeon must pass the requisite tests and requirements that the professional organization sets forth.
While a number of board certifications exist from various professional organizations, for plastic surgeons in particular, the recognized organization of choice on a whole is the American Board of Plastic Surgery. To become board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a surgeon must pass certain written tests as well as a series of oral exams. On top of this, a surgeon must prove to those in charge of evaluating his work – usually some of the best plastic surgeons in the country – that he is able to do his job safely and competently.
So does this mean that a surgeon who isn’t certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery won’t do a good job? According to Dr. Mantooth, this will not necessarily be the case. Every physician who practices plastic surgery is bound to bring his own unique touch to the process, and certainly some good surgeons out there aren’t board certified. On the other hand, the problem with plastic surgery these days is that so many practitioners out there are seeking to specialize in it, some of whom may be better trained than others. Therefore, the only way for a patient to really attempt to sort through the masses is to focus on those surgeons who have attained board certification.
The process of finding the right plastic surgeon can be rather challenging. So keeping an eye out for board certification is certainly a good place to start. By limiting your search to doctors who are board certified, you’ll be doing your part to ensure that the person you are trusting with your health and appearance is one who has achieved a higher level of excellence within his specialty.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
Tags: board certified, plastic surgery, surgeon
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*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.