Plastic Surgery Forum | Cosmetic Surgery Blog

More Questions to Ask When Choosing a New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

  

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Choosing the right New York facial plastic surgeon will determine both the success of your facial cosmetic surgery procedure and your satisfaction with the results (see our previous post). Today, we continue our list of questions to ask about the physician’s credentials when interviewing New York City facial cosmetic surgeons:

Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the governing body authorized by the American Medical Association (AMA) to set certification requirements and medical standards for physicians practicing in the specialized field of plastic surgery. The ABPS is also tasked with policing members of the profession. ABPS certification indicates that the plastic surgeon has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed a 5-year surgical residency with 2 years of specialization in plastic surgery. ABPS board certification is more stringent than state licensing and provides patients with assurance that the plastic surgeon has obtained the education and training necessary to perform general plastic surgery.

Are you certified in the specialties of facial plastic surgery or head and neck surgery?

In addition to ABPS general plastic surgery certification, various medical specialty boards are charged by the AMA with setting requirements and standards that govern specific specializations within the more general field of plastic surgery. The specialized certifications issued by these boards indicate that the NYC plastic surgeon has completed additional rigorous educational requirements and obtained intense practical expertise in a very specific plastic surgery specialty.

For example, in addition to being ABPS certified, New York City facial plastic surgeon Dr. Edward Kwak has obtained dual board-certification from the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, indicating a superior expertise in the field of facial plastic surgery.