Which Plastic Surgeon?

The influence of talk shows, chat rooms, and the media have increased the availability of choice to people seeking a plastic surgeon. It can be very confusing! This section of our site is written to demystify the process.

In addition to the quality indicators of a surgeon's training and experience (listed below) it is important to get a feel for the individual, meet the surgeon, speak to the team, as well as checking out the CV. Ask to see examples of their own work - check it is their own! - and get a feel for whether they contribute within the speciality.

Doing your research is essential to find a plastic surgeon and care team you can trust and feel comfortable with. The qualifications, experience and contribution to the field of an individual surgeon are important to making a secure decision. Some terms and titles that you may come across are listed below, with a short description of what they mean:

GMC
General Medical Council. Ensure your plastic surgeon is on the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery at www.gmc-uk.org/register/search/index.asp#. Only when doctors have completed an accredited training and have been assessed as competent can they be entered to the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery.

CCT in Plastic Surgery
Certificate of Completion of (specialist) training in plastic surgery - not usually separately listed as a qualification but is a prerequisite for UK trained plastic surgeons.

MBBS
Entry level qualification in general medicine and surgery for UK doctors.

MRCS
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. A junior surgical qualification at general level.

FRCS
Fellow of the Royal college of Surgeons. This applies to most UK surgeons and does not in isolation signify completion of training. It is a generic qualification, and does not of itself indicate that the surgeon has completed higher specialist training - check that they are on the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery.

FRCS(Plast)
Fellow of the Royal college of Surgeons in Plastic Surgery. This is a specialist 'exit' qualification of UK training in Plastic surgery and denotes the surgeon has passed the UK plastic surgery exam which is widely acknowledged to be one of the most competitive and high quality exit exams in the world. The 'Millimetre Perfect' surgeons have this qualification and regularly teach and train young surgeons in their work and on courses designed to tutor them for these examinations.

MD
'Doctor of Medicine'. In the UK this is a higher postgraduate research degree. (In other parts of the world it is the entry level qualification to medicine and surgery, having taken a first degree elsewhere). UK trained plastic surgeons in NHS consultancies have usually, but not always, undertaken an MD in a plastic surgical field of research. Check their bibliographies and you will note publications in a range of scientific subjects related to plastic surgical practice. Jonathan Britto has an MD in craniofacial science and which is closely related to his current practice in paediatric craniofacial surgery.

MSc
'Master of Science'. In the UK this is a postgraduate degree, shorter than but similar to the MD. UK trained plastic surgeons in NHS consultancies have usually, but not always undertaken an MSc in a plastic surgical field of research. Check their bibliographies and you will note publications in a range of scientific subjects related to plastic surgical practice. Raj Ragoowansi has an MSc in hand surgery related to his upper limb reconstruction service.

'Consultant'
Used in isolation, 'consultant' has no meaning of specialist quality in any field. Used when applied to UK NHS Consultant Plastic Surgeons, it implies that they are on the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery, and are regularly involved in a broad range of patient care; subject to audit, quality control and a regular professional update of standards and quality of care. NHS Consultant Plastic Surgeons regularly teach and train juniors, are involved in service development, and constantly achieve at the highest level a broad cross - fertilization of techniques from reconstructive and aesthetic surgery to the benefit of patients in both areas.

BAPRAS
British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeons. This is the association of membership of UK Consultant Plastic Surgeons. Regular contribution to BAPRAS meetings and educational events suggests that a BAPRAS member is an active contributor to the profession in the UK, and upholds the standards of the association in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.

BAAPS
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. This is the sister - association to the BAPRAS and regularly advises on standards of care in UK aesthetic surgery, meeting annually for an exchange of views and information in aesthetic surgery care.

Aesthetic surgery training
All UK plastic surgery trainees undertake aesthetic surgery training as part of their general training, and are examined in this in the FRCS(Plast) examination. In addition many young plastic surgeons go on to dedicated senior training positions in aesthetic surgery - feel free to ask your consultant surgeon about his/her skills, specific training, and experience in your chosen area of interest.


Choosing a plastic surgeon.....

• Whilst it may be tempting to decide on glossy presentation and price, put your health, face and body in hands you can trust. Poorly done procedures can be difficult to recover later.
• Pick a surgeon, hospital, and team who will be there when you need them, combining the best aesthetic results and/or reconstructive success with the best tenets of good medical practice.