What is the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery?

Question:
What is the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery?


Answer:
The ABCS is an independent private testing organization that gives an intensive 2-day test to physicians who want to be certified or have some demonstration of their knowledge in cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery is the art and science of beautification surgery. It does not include hand reconstruction, cancer surgery, or other skin surgery skills that have to do with diseases. The procedures covered include, but are not limited to, liposuction, eyelid lifts, hair transplant, facelifts, forehead lifts, resurfacing procedures of various kinds, insertion of fillers to make the face and other parts of the body fuller and more youthful looking, tummy tucks, and BOTOX® Cosmetic. The doctors are tested on emergency procedures in their office as well, and have to demonstrate good knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and knowledge of the medications and procedures used in case of emergencies of various types.

Currently, doctors testing for the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery need to have had both a surgical training program and also a fellowship (a year or 2) of specialized training in cosmetic surgery. Fresno area cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yoho was privileged to take the Cosmetic Surgery Board’s as a "grandfather," because he had performed over a thousand cosmetic surgery procedures and was considered a very competent individual to join the ranks of the board certified American Board of Cosmetic Surgery members.

This board is the only board that certifies Fresno area cosmetic surgeons purely in cosmetic surgery. The other boards are mixed boards. In other words, they certify surgeons in a whole group of other procedures including procedures to treat diseases and injuries. The plastic surgery board, the ear, nose, and throat board, and the dermatology board are examples of boards of this type, which include some information and testing about cosmetic surgery procedures, but do not concentrate exclusively on cosmetic surgery.

Note that all of the boards including the American Board of Medical Specialties are private organizations and none has any official status except as granted by medical boards and other organizing bodies. They all have their own board of directors and their own agendas to promote their membership and, in many cases, their own advertising budgets.

For a complete discussion of board certification and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, please see my Los Angeles cosmetic surgeon website under page "Meet Dr. Yoho" and then "Understanding Board Certification."