Cosmetic Surgery Center

When you hear the words "plastic surgery," images of Hollywood hotties (male and female alike) having nose jobs, face lifts, and breast enlargements may pop into your head. While plastic surgeons do perform those procedures every day, they also perform surgeries to rebuild faces that have been mauled by vicious dogs, reattach limbs that have been caught in machinery in factories, and reconstruct the torsos of people suffering from third degree burns. The title, plastic surgeon, is misleading because plastic surgery has nothing to do with plastic, actually. The name comes from the Greek word "plastikos," which means to form or mold.

The education and training involved with becoming a plastic surgeon is long and intense.

Prerequisites for Plastic Surgery Residency

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Or Osteopathy (D.O.)
OR 3 years of clinical training in general surgery with progressive responsibility in the same program (this is a minimum requirement before entrance into plastic surgery residency)
OR An accredited residency training program in neurological surgery, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology or urology.

D.M.D. plus M.D. degree or D.D.S. plus M.D. degree
OR Completion of residency program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, approved by the American Dental Association (ADA).
Must include Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.) and a minimum of 2 years post M.D. surgical rotations

M.D. degree from outside of U.S. or Canada
OR Satisfactory completion of accredited residency training in general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology or urology, including evidence of current admissibility to the respective specialty board's examination process in the United States required.

Required Graduate Education in Plastic Surgery

Training in an accredited 2 or 3 year plastic surgery program with the final year at senior level is required. Beginning on July 1, 1995, both years of a two (2) year program or the last two (2) years of a three year program must be completed in the same institution. In either instance, the final year must be completed at senior level.
Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc.Must pass qualifying (written) exam and certifying (oral) exam.
Supplemental education

Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) means that the plastic surgeon has completed the training and practice needed to perform the scope of the specialty of Plastic Surgery. However, some surgeons may choose to further explore their interests in one or more areas through additional clinical or academic experiences. Fellowships

Fellowships in plastic surgery offer the surgeon an opportunity to pursue additional experiences in the basic science and clinical practice of plastic surgery. These fellowships cover a wide variety of topical areas; however, they are not required to follow any generally recognized format or any approved curriculum. Certificates of Added Qualification

Certificates of added qualification (CAQ) provide board certified surgeons a way to highlight their interest in a particular area. Currently, hand surgery is the only area in which plastic surgeons certified by the ABPS may obtain a CAQ. However, treatment and management of hand diseases and trauma are an integral part of the core curriculum in plastic surgery residency training.

Plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and who are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons have undergone rigorous training and have been evaluated by their peers on their practice of plastic surgery, from both the technical and ethical perspectives.

For answers to all of your cosmetic surgery questions, please contact us online today or call us to set up your personal consultation with Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center, serving patients in Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas.