ABFPRS - What Does It Mean?

American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Board Certification - what does it mean?
Directory of ABFPRS Diplomats

Board certification is a benchmark of excellence

In general, board certification is a benchmark of excellence; however, it is just one of many credentials a patient should evaluate in choosing a surgeon.

What ABFPRS certification means

Your surgeon's certification by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery means that:

You have found a 'board-certified facial plastic surgeon'
Your surgeon has met the rigorous standards of the ABFPRS

The ABFPRS credential signifies that your surgeon:

Has completed an approved residency after medical school in one of two surgical specialties focusing on facial plastic surgery (otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or plastic surgery);
Is double boarded, having earned prior certification in one of those specialties through the American Board of Medical Specialties or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada;
Has successfully completed a two-day examination;
Has submitted for peer-review an acceptable record of at least two years' clinical experience, including operative reports of a minimum 100 facial plastic surgeries; and
Holds proper licensure and subscribes to the ABFPRS Code of Ethics.

Selecting a surgeon

A patient choosing a surgeon for facial plastic surgery must take the responsibility for asking questions and choosing the right surgeon. Ask the surgeon for names of patients who have had the surgery you have in mind and who have given the surgeon permission to provide their names to prospective patients. Check those patients' experience. Make sure the surgeon you choose is one you can relate to and who answers your questions. Also, not every surgeon performs every facial plastic surgery procedure. Some focus on specific procedures. Make sure your surgeon is experienced in the procedure you want and regularly performs that procedure. No medical or surgical certification board, including ABFPRS, guarantees competency or results.

About the ABFPRS

Established in 1986 to improve the quality of medical and surgical treatment available to the public, the ABFPRS has set standards for the training and practice of facial plastic surgery and determines which candidates meet these standards through a rigorous program of examination and certification.

The ABFPRS has been found equivalent to primary boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties in every state that has set standards for such equivalence. Although not a primary ABMS board itself, the ABFPRS requires prior certification by one of the two ABMS boards that examine for expertise in facial plastic surgery (the American Board of Otolaryngology or the American Board of Plastic Surgery) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada.

The ABFPRS is officially sponsored by national specialty societies, including the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Rhinologic Society, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery--together with numerous state and local specialty societies.

Headquartered in permanent offices in Alexandria, Virginia, and managed by a full-time staff, the ABFPRS is governed by a 12-member Board of Directors that includes faculty members from many of the most esteemed medical schools in North America.

Verification of certification

To verify your surgeon's ABFPRS certification contact the Board office.

ABFPRS
115C South St. Asaph Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 549-3223
Fax: (703) 549-3357

DISCLAIMER

Patients should consider board certification as only one factor in selecting a facial plastic surgeon. Board certification alone does not necessarily indicate competence or compatibility with the patient.

Not all facial plastic surgeons perform all facial plastic surgery procedures. Some further specialize in a narrower range of procedures, such as nose surgery.

Patients have responsibility for selecting their surgeons. The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and MediSpecialty.com disclaims any warranty or liability with regard to any certificant's listing in this website or any other website found through the use of this website.

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