My plastic surgeon has a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) and a F.O.C.O.O. (Fellow of the Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology). I am worried because he isn't part of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Are these good credentials for a plastic surgeon?
In general, MD's are more sought-after than DO's. You also might want to check to see what it takes to be a FOCOO - if all you do is pay an annual membership fee, then that 'credential' is meaningless. To get an official board certification, a physician has to sit through an all-day test, and keep up with yearly continuing education requirements.
Nope....they are not!!! I would only go to a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon....which I did. I picked a Harvard Med School grad Board Certified in Facial Plastic Surgery. I had some facial cancer and wanted the best. I had the sugery under my right eye 3 months ago and the scar is virtually invisible. Go for the Best!
When we refer to a plastic surgeon as board-certified, we mean one who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The ABPS is the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to certify physicians in the full range of plastic and reconstructive procedures. To be certified by the ABPS, a physician must have at least five years of approved surgical training, including a residency in plastic surgery. He or she must also pass a comprehensive written and oral exams in plastic surgery.
