WHAT ABFPRS CERTIFICATION MEANS
Your surgeon’s certification by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery means that:
- You have found a “board-certified facial plastic surgeon”…
- Your surgeon has met the rigorous standards of the ABFPRS….
The ABFPRS credential signifies that your surgeon:
- Has completed an approved residency after medical school in one of two surgical specialties focusing on facial plastic surgery (otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or plastic surgery.
- Is double boarded, having earned prior certification in one of those specialties through the American Board of Medical Specialties or the Royal College of Physicians an Surgeons in Canada.
- Has successfully completed a two-day examination;
- Has submitted for peer-review an acceptable record of at least two years’ clinical experience, including operative reports of a minimum 100 facial plastic surgeries;
- Operates in an accredited facility: and
- Holds proper licensure and subscribes to the ABFPRS Code of Ethics.
BOARD CERTIFICATION IS JUST THE BEGINNING
A patient choosing a surgeon for facial plastic surgery must take the responsibility for asking questions and choosing the right surgeon. Ask the surgeon for names of patients who have had the surgery you have in mind and who have given the surgeon permission to provide their names to prospective patients. Check those patients’ experience. Make sure the surgeon you choose is one you can relate to and who answers your questions. Also, not every surgeon performs every facial plastic surgery procedure. Some focus on specific procedures. Make sure your surgeon is experienced in the procedure you want and regularly performs that procedure. No medical or surgical certification board, including the ABFPRS, guarantees competency or results.