Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Board Certification is an important aspect of choosing a rhinoplasty surgeon. Dr. Becker’s certification by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) means that:
– you have found a board-certified facial plastic surgeon.
– Dr. Becker 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 these specialties through the American Board of Medical Specialties or the Royal College of Physicians and 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; and
- Holds proper licensure and subscribes to the ABFPRS Code of Ethics.
What does board certification mean? What exactly is a “board?”
A “board” is an organization that oversees an evaluation process. To be board certified means only that an individual has met all of the training and practice requirements put forth by that particular board.
The “main” board of all medicine in the United States is the ABMS, or American Board of Medical Specialties. This central board gives their seal of approval to many other certifying boards. Dr. Becker is board certified in the performance of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery by the American Board of Otolaryngology, an ABMS board and in fact one of the original ABMS boards. Dr. Becker is also certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The ABFPRS is the only board that certifies surgeons exclusively for plastic surgery of the face.
Additional information about these boards:
The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia and can be reached at 703-549-3223 or http://www.abfprs.org/. Here is what they say about themselves:
“The ABFPRS certifies surgeons exclusively in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. The ABFPRS is dedicated to improving the quality of facial plastic surgery available to the public by measuring the qualifications of candidate surgeons against certain rigorous standards.”
“To achieve certification by this Board (ABFPRS), a surgeon must:
- Complete an accredited residency training program after medical school that provides training in facial plastic surgery.
- Achieve previous certification by one or both of the basic boards in the field: The American Board of Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Otolaryngology.
- Successfully complete an additional two-day examination (written and oral) focused solely on facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
- Present for peer review at least 100 surgical cases in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery for each of the previous two years.”
The ABFPRS holds its member surgeons to a published code of ethical conduct.
The American Board of Otolaryngology has its headquarters in Houston, Texas. It can be reached at 713-850-0399 or https://www.aboto.org/. It is one of the oldest boards, and has represented the specialty of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery since 1924. Here is what they say about themselves:
“The mission of the American Board of Otolaryngology is to assure the public that diplomates certified by the ABOto meet the highest standards of training and knowledge and to progressively raise the quality of patient care in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.”
“Five years of training in a ACGME accredited program is required. Then, successful completion of both a written and oral exam is required to achieve certification. Please refer to pages 10-18 of the ABOto’s Booklet of information for additional details.”
The American Board of Medical Specialties has its headquarters in Evanston, Illinois and can be reached at 847-491-9091 or https://www.abms.org/. Here is what they say about themselves:
“The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the umbrella organization for the 24 approved medical specialty boards in the United States. Established in 1933, the ABMS serves to coordinate the activities of its Member Boards and to provide information to the public, the government, the profession and its Members concerning issues involving specialization and certification in medicine.”
“The mission of the ABMS is to maintain and improve the quality of medical care in the United States by assisting the Member Boards in their efforts to develop and utilize professional and educational standards for the evaluation and certification of physician specialists.”
“The governing body of each Member Board is comprised of specialists qualified in the specialty represented by the board. The individual Member Boards evaluate physician candidates who voluntarily seek certification by a Member Board of the ABMS. To accomplish this function, the Member Boards determine whether candidates have received appropriate preparation in approved residency training programs in accordance with established educational standards, evaluate candidates with comprehensive examinations, and certify those candidates who have satisfied the board requirements. Physicians who are successful in achieving certification are called diplomates of the respective specialty board. The boards also offer recertification for qualified diplomates at intervals of seven to ten years.”
“The ABMS maintains a list of all board certified diplomates. Information about a physician’s certification status can be obtained by referring to:
- The ABMS Public Education Program Certified Doctor Verification Service
- The ABMS Public Education Program toll-free verification phone number at 1-800-776-CERT
- The ABMS publication, The Official American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists (revised annually), which is available in many medical and public libraries.
- Written verification of a physician’s certification status can be obtained by contacting the respective Member Board.”
The ABMS maintains a list of approved ABMS Specialty Boards and Certificate Categories. The ABMS approves of a subspecialty certificate for the American Board of Otolaryngology – Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck, and also for the American Board of Plastic Surgery – Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck.