People considering a cosmetic procedure should fully evaluate the credentials of any medical professional offering to perform plastic surgery procedures. The procedure will impact your face or body for years or a lifetime, and it is simply not worth the risk of having such surgery from a less-trained, less experienced doctor.

Is Your Surgeon Board Certified as a Plastic Surgeon? Find Out.

To gain board certification as a plastic surgeon involves a grueling, long, thorough education along with a residency, above and beyond what is required in attaining a standard medical degree. Always look at the credentials, qualifications, and experience of a medical professional before agreeing to become a patient for a plastic surgery procedure. Dr. Joel Beck has a 5-star rating on healthgrades.com, a 5-star rating on realself.com, and is known for his artistry, advanced surgical skills, and exceptional, personalized, patient care.

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What to Look for
in a Plastic Surgeon

When considering a cosmetic enhancement, you need to investigate every detail of the credentials and experience of the prospective surgeon. Look for:

  • Board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgeons
  • Check the reputation of the board-certified surgeon on healthgrades.com and realself.com, where actual patients rate doctors
  • Determine if the surgeon has hospital privileges
  • Be wary if the surgeon offers “deals” that sound too good to be true – plastic surgery, when performed correctly, does not include shortcuts
  • Once the above is reviewed, ensure you feel comfortable, cared for, listened to, and in good communication with the individual plastic surgeon
  • Realize that a compelling sales pitch from a less qualified doctor does not necessarily indicate that the procedure will produce the result you envision

How Board Certification is Achieved

Board certification is not a minor issue – the American Board of Medical Specialties has established the criteria governing medical specialties. To achieve certification as a plastic surgeon requires that the doctor completes the required training and passes a comprehensive written and oral examination that covers the full array of procedures performed by plastic surgeons.

Certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgeons is the “gold standard” of medical certification. Certification demonstrates that the physician has successfully completed a prescribed set of requirements in the specialty of plastic surgery, far above and beyond the requirements associated with a standard medical license. The testing procedure is extensive; the entire fund of knowledge in plastic surgery is tested before certification can be granted.

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