Becoming a plastic surgeon is very difficult and a time consuming specialty to pursue. After graduating with an undergraduate degree, an aspiring plastic surgeon must then complete four years of medical school. There are then three additional years of residency that is required. This residency can last up to five to seven years. An accredited plastic surgeon in the United States should be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This certification includes the five to seven years of post-graduate training. The residency period will be examined by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and their evaluation must be satisfactory before the resident is allowed to train in plastic surgery specifically. The certification process is completed by the taking of oral and written exams. The total amount of time that the education and training can take is 17 to 20 hours.

Medical Schools

Choosing a medical school is an important part of becoming a plastic surgeon. After completing the four years of undergraduate work, aspiring plastic surgeons must take the MCAT exam. The medical college admissions test or MCAT is a standard examination because it is in multiple choice question format. The MCAT is divided into four parts; physical sciences, verbal reasoning, biological sciences, and the writing sample. The scores can range from one to fifteen. The top five medical schools rated by U.S. News and World Report are Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California at San Francisco. Harvard University is the most prestigious and well known of the medical schools. The average MCAT score at Harvard University medical school is around 11.5.

American Board of Plastic Surgery

The American Board of Plastic Surgery began in June of 1937. The American Board of Plastic Surgery was accepted as an official member of the American Board of Medical Specialties in 1941. The American Boards of Medical Specialties contains 24 medical specialty boards, which includes the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit organization with its mission being the supervision of the quality and integrity of the medical care industry.