<p>Anyone? What does it take to become a plastic surgeon? Is it more difficult and time consuming than being a regular doctor or surgeon? </p>
<p>Can anyone tell me some basic info about training to become a pl. surgeon?</p>
<p>Thanks. I'd appreciate it.</p>
<p>Hey PEALS-05 I'm also looking into going into plastic surgery ... but I don't know much .. so I guess I'll just have to sit here with you and wait for someone else to reply (drum trum drum ) But, I do know that it DOES take more years than becoming a general surgery ... plastic surgery is one of the branches of medicine that take one of the most years to train for .. THAT I know</p>
<p>You may know this already, but I think it bears repeating that you can't just simply "decide" that you want to become a plastic surgeon and then automatically become one. Every medical student has to match into a residency that prepares him for the specialty that he wants, and this matching process is determined by a number of things - med school clinical performance, med-school grades, interviews, etc. You may say that you want a plastic surgical residency, but if they don't want you, then you won't become a plastic surgeon.</p>
<p>I'll add to sakky's post that plastic surgery is one of, if not THE most competitive specialties to enter.</p>
<p>And I'll add to that saying there are programs out there that will take you direct from med school to plastics. Most aren't this way but some are. Others you do a few years gen surg. then move on to plastics. This being said you need to be damn good to get into plastics, and have good connections out the wazoo.</p>
<p>Try looking at these websites:
<a href="http://www.psinteractive.net/csurg.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.psinteractive.net/csurg.htm</a>
<a href="http://www.aboardcertifiedplasticsurgeonresource.com/plasticsurgeon/faq.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.aboardcertifiedplasticsurgeonresource.com/plasticsurgeon/faq.html</a>
<a href="http://www.nerve.org/what_is_a_fully_trained_plastic_.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.nerve.org/what_is_a_fully_trained_plastic_.htm</a></p>
<p>thanx for the links dancer
"have good connections out the wazoo." dude does that mean like going to a well known college like say Harvard for premed/and/or med or what???</p>
<p>No. It means knowing tons of doctors and people in health care, and anyone involved in any med school. Going to an ivy might help, but someone who is good friends with doctors from certain school will have a better shot then some harvard grad.</p>
<p>ayight......</p>
<p>Another thing you want to determine is if you are able to bear being a plastic surgeon.</p>
<p>I've seen many operations with people bleeding everywhere, but watching plastic surgeons carve up someone's face makes me shiver every time...might want to see if you're up to doing that kind of thing.</p>
<p>With that said, best of luck.</p>
<p>Plastic surgery gets alot of hype from television, and portrays a glamorous lifestyle. Cosmetic surgery is just one aspect of general plastic surgery (e.g. burns, craniofacial work, reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, ect are other areas) but this is what the layman thinks when he hears the words "plastic surgery". ENT is one avenue for a general plastic surgery residency but they also have their own facial plastic programs. Orthopedics is another route, but realize that the average Orthopedist has a higher income than the average Plastic Surgeon (see Medical Economics and other physician income surveys). While it is true that only 3 years of General Surgery are required for a general plastic residency, many top programs require completing a general surgery program. The best route is the combined programs where you do the general surgery years and move straight into the plastic residency at the same institution. This gives you the opportunity to get involved with this specific plastics program while doing your general surgery years. </p>
<p>In terms of a cosmetic practice, many patients have unrealistic expectations and are unhappy no matter what is done.</p>
<p>Ok just out of interest would you guys:
either go into cosmetic surgery : LOT'S of money but not very rewarding
OR go into reconstructive surgery: NOT AS much money as cosmetic sirgery but VERY rewarding I mean, compare the smile of a child who was once burnt very badly on the face when he sees what you've done to his face to a rich snob who was fine to begin with but wasn't confident enough or whatever and most probably never will be happy with their plastic face .... ofcoarse there ARE exceptions to everything</p>
<p>and another question for the enlightened ones here:
is it possible for a reconstructive surgeon to let's say fix up someones face so that is't back to normal and then do cosmetic surgery to make it even better than before .. by accident? or would they use differnt tools for the reconstruction and cosmetic parts so it could only be done deliberately?</p>
<p>bump ^^^^^^^^^^^</p>