Plastic surgeons are medical professionals who treat patients with congenital abnormalities, injuries, and burns. Additionally, they assist those who want to enhance their look via cosmetic surgery.
A bachelor's degree and medical school are prerequisites for becoming a plastic surgeon. After that, a residence is required.
If you want to become a plastic surgeon, the first step is to enroll in medical school. This is your opportunity to learn more about the industry and determine whether it's a good fit for you.
Medical schools often demand a good GPA and MCAT score to accept students into their programs. It is also advisable to have as much experience as possible in cosmetic surgery, including shadowing a doctor as a premed and participating in clinical rotations throughout medical school.
The residency program is at the next significant level. A medical student with a four-year medical degree would often match into an integrated residency program, such as the one provided at NewYork-Presbyterian. This ACGME-accredited, six-year school has a proven record of producing outstanding plastic surgeons. Residents undertake clinical or fundamental scientific research and attend various national events. Many comply with the need to submit their research findings for publication in a prestigious journal.
To become a plastic surgeon, one must complete four years of medical school and six years of residency. During this period, you must pass qualifying and licensing exams, work with a mentor, execute surgeries under supervision, and build surgical skills.
After completing your residency, you will be fully accredited and autonomous in the specialty. You will also get an annual salary of around $60,000 on average.
Residency training is an intense and difficult endeavor. Residents must juggle their education with clinical duties and often work long hours.
ACGME-accredited 6-year Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center. It includes microsurgery, pediatric and craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, and cosmetic surgery, among other basic areas of plastic surgery.
Fellowship programs are an option for those interested in becoming plastic surgeons. These are often extra years of study added to your medical education, and they may be an excellent opportunity to learn more about your specialty and develop your professional abilities.
When applying for a fellowship, your CV should contain your academic history, volunteer experience, awards, and other relevant credentials. This is an opportunity to highlight your talents to the review committee and distinguish yourself from other candidates.
A fellowship is also an excellent chance to network with people in your industry. Fellows often find employment after completing their fellowship, directly or via recommendations from supervisors and other network members.
During plastic surgeon training, you study breast augmentation, stomach tuck, cosmetic facelifts, and rhinoplasty techniques. In addition, you learn where to inject fillers and how to do surgery.
However, the route to a successful practice is everything from simple. It takes years to create and sustain a successful surgical practice, particularly in today's market, when competition is fierce, and patients are more aware of their alternatives.
Fortunately, the most effective approaches share five fundamental principles. These features allow a practice to adapt to shifting conditions, enabling long-term development and success.
Compassion and empathy are among the most essential. These characteristics are essential in any patient-physician interaction, but they take on a special significance when dealing with trauma patients or those with congenital disabilities.