A Look At The Career Path Of People Aspiring To Become Plastic Surgery Experts

Oct 25
10:30

2012

Darell Belen

Darell Belen

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One of the questions that are frequently asked about plastic surgeons is with regard to the course of training they go through, in order to be qualified to practice their trade. This article answers that question by looking at the career development path followed by plastic surgeons

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Plastic surgery is quite a lucrative field in medicine,A Look At The Career Path Of People Aspiring To Become Plastic Surgery Experts Articles and those who practice it earn quite a lot. A considerable percentage of the fees paid by the people who seek this type of surgery ends up going directly to the surgeons. Proof of how lucrative it is would be the establishment of privately owned clinics of these plastic surgeons. This is where they conduct the cosmetic surgery procedures. Others operate as employees, in cosmetic surgery departments of bigger hospitals. While it is true that they are employees and thus earn regular monthly salaries, the amount is not something to balk at. Some of them opt to be paid on a per case basis, meaning they get paid every time they have performed cosmetic surgery, and the amount they receive is also significant.

The high income is the primary reason why there is now a huge interest on the career development routes that could be taken by those who are interested in becoming a plastic surgeon. We also see many people who have no interest in becoming plastic surgeons themselves, but who nonetheless (out of curiosity) desire to have some understanding of the career path followed by people who are keen on becoming plastic surgeons.

Plastic surgery experts would have their start on their road toward this career by taking up courses in general medicine. This would make them doctors of medicine, or practitioners of general medicine. In the United States and many other countries, medical schools can only be entered by those who are holders of general science degrees and other accredited premedical degrees. Thus, he must first earn a four-year general science degree first before they can go to medical school. Here, they will stay for three years in order to earn their general medicine degree.

Having obtained their basic medical degrees, people who want to become plastic surgery experts have to undergo (general medicine) internships. Normally, internships last for about two years. They will use their internships to acquire more experience as they get to treat patients under the tutelage and mentoring of registrars, consultants, and other medical practitioners.

Completion of the general medicine internship would be followed by postgraduate trainings. Those who want to be plastic surgery experts can choose their training to be in dermatology, cosmetic surgery, and other similar areas. Others opt to work for several years as general medicine practitioners, before going for the specialized cosmetic surgery training. Before they can become plastic surgeons, postgraduate trainings must be completed first. That is an inescapable step that they should all take.

The next step after the theoretical cosmetic surgery postgraduate training would be having to work as registrars. Compared to the consultants who are responsible for the more complex procedures, the registrars are assigned the simpler cases, and they will still work with the guidance of the consultants. They will work as registrars for several years. Next, they would become cosmetic surgery consultants. It is only at this point that they can set up their own practice. This time around they are allowed to perform more complex and complicated procedures. Naturally, they would still have to be aided by medical theater support teams. They can also, from this point onwards, earn the big bucks associated with this particular medical specialty.