WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON?

Currently there are 24 general certificates issued by the American Board of Medical Specialties. To obtain a general certificate, members must complete medical school, an internship and an approved residency training program in their specialty. They must then pass the appropriate examination. To remain in good standing, members must pass maintenance of certification examinations thereafter. The only such certificate for plastic surgery in the United States is from the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This encompasses plastic surgery, including cosmetic surgery, of the entire body including the face.

Confusion arises from the presence of several other associations and boards that focus on cosmetic or aesthetic medicine. The American Board of Medical Specialties does not recognize these organizations. Although a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery may be a member of these organizations, the reverse is not true. Membership in these other organizations does not necessarily mean that someone has gone through the years of training to become a plastic surgeon or even a surgeon for that matter.

Dr. Terry Myckatyn, MD and Dr. Marissa Tenenbaum, MD

Dr. Terry Myckatyn and
Dr. Marissa Tenenbaum:

Trusted. Experienced. Committed.

Dr. Terry Myckatyn Dr. Marissa Tenenbaum

One needs to be careful when analyzing a doctor’s credentials. They may simply say that they are “board certified” and not list a specialty. They could be board certified in internal medicine and not plastic surgery, for example, even if they are performing plastic surgery. There are no laws in the United States that prohibit doctors from performing procedures that they are not necessarily trained to do.

The entire list of specialties recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties is as follows: