Receiving any plastic surgery procedure is an important decision. When you place your health and safety in the hands of a surgeon, you want to ensure that you’re seeking out quality care. Finding a practice you can trust is key to great results and a smooth recovery, so seeking out a board-certified plastic surgeon is often valuable. Discover the importance of board certification in plastic surgeons and how it impacts your patient experience.
Why Board Certification Makes a Plastic Surgeon Stand Out
To become board-certified is a long, hardworking process that tests surgeons on their knowledge and expertise, showing their commitment to their work. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon ensures you’re choosing someone who has gone above and beyond the normal educational standards to ensure your care and surgery results are of the highest quality.
1. Board Certification Requires Intensive Training
Board-certified plastic surgeons go above and beyond when it comes to their practice. “Plastic Surgeons have to survive a long and difficult residency (at least 6 years) with yearly testing exams,” Dr. Leppink, our board-certified surgeon, explains. “There is another very hard test (failure rate of 15-20% on average) and then another oral exam that includes a review of the candidates’ own cases randomly selected from their first year in practice.” These required tests and exams ensure the board-certified plastic surgeon you are working with is exceptionally trained, educated, and tested in their expertise.
2. Board Certification is a Badge that Needs Renewal
Being board-certified is not a forever trophy. “Even after the certification is achieved, the board requires yearly education hours and case review in Plastic Surgery, culminating in a recertification test every 10 years,” Dr. Leppink says. To remain board-certified, plastic surgeons must retake the exam, proving they are still qualified and capable of high-quality practice. This ensures patients that continuous effort is being put into the surgeon’s expertise to receive the best care they can find.
3. Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons Work At Specific Hospitals & Clinics
“Board-certified Plastic Surgeons operate in an accredited surgical facility, to assure the safety of their patients,” Dr. Leppink clarifies. At the Centre For Plastic Surgery, our private practice is an accredited surgical facility operated by board-certified surgeons in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our private and localized practice ensures patients receive expert care.
What Board Certification Means for Plastic Surgery Patients
At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, we believe that our patients’ comfort and safety come first. By staffing board-certified plastic surgeons, we ensure that our patients are receiving the highest quality care for their chosen procedure. By choosing a board-certified surgeon, patients are choosing experts who go above and beyond to continuously stay up-to-date with the latest surgical best practices. Board-certified surgeons have also learned how to best prevent and handle emergencies that could arise during surgery, so your health is always the number one priority.
Receive Care From Our Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons
Looking for expert care for your next plastic surgery procedure? Get connected with the Centre for Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation with one of our team members to find what’s best for you.