Plastic Surgeron Training
Traditionally, to specialize in plastic surgery physicians complete a residency program in general surgery, which lasts five years. A two year fellowship in plastic surgery follows a residency. Debates on whether it is truly necessary to complete the residency program in general surgery led to a shorter combined training program, which includes only three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery. Fellowship training in plastic surgery includes rotations in: cosmetic surgery; craniofacial surgery to correct various deformities such as cleft lips and palates; reconstructive surgery; pediatric surgery; microsurgery; burn treatments and skin grafts; and hand surgery involving amputated fingers. Various regulations mandate most surgeons get training through a Veteran's Association Hospital or a local county hospital. Along with learning the ins and outs of plastic and reconstructive surgery, surgeons learn how to deal with patients in all socioeconomic categories.
The title "plastic surgeon" is broad. With the increasing popularity of plastic surgery procedures, the long training period to become a full fledged plastic surgeon and the decreasing insurance reimbursements among other medical specialties, the field of plastic surgeons is now mostly comprised of mostly non-trained physicians.
By taking a weekend course in plastic surgery and attending an informal fellowship for several days, many emergency room and family physicians, gynecologists, general surgeons and general practitioners without official training in plastic surgery, can call themselves plastic surgeons.
