You hear the term “board-certified” all the time, but do you know what it really means?
While it is a trustworthy credential, it’s critical to know the exact board(s) by which a plastic surgeon has his or her certification(s), and if their certification is in the specific surgery they are performing on you. A doctor who is “board-certified” may not necessarily be specialized in the procedure you’re getting done. Would you want a surgeon who is board-certified only in dermatology to perform your facelift or breast augmentation? And how would you feel if you found out your plastic surgeon is certified by a board that’s not even recognized by the medical profession?
Here, we’ll clear up all of the mysteries surrounding board certifications so that when you choose a plastic surgeon, you can be sure that you’re getting the best of the best.
While all doctors have a medical license, not all hold board certifications:
- A medical license is a legal requirement, granted by individual states, that sets the minimum competency requirements to practice medicine. In 2010, there were 850, 805 physicians with active medical licenses in the U.S.
- Board certification is an on-going, voluntary process that a doctor goes through to expand his or her expertise in a particular specialty for the good of their patients. Only 5% of doctors are certified by a reputable specially board.
A board certification in a medical specialization, like plastic surgery, is not required, but is instrumental to the integrity of a doctor’s practice.
When it comes to plastic surgery, what you don’t know really can hurt you. Any physician can claim to be a cosmetic surgeon, but that does not mean the doctor is board-certified, specialized in plastic surgery, or has experience performing the procedure you’re considering.
