How to Become a Plastic Surgeon
Plastic surgery is one of the longest training routes in medicine — roughly two decades from the start of medical school to independent practice. This page sets out the stages, the European certification that ends them, and what the working week actually looks like.
Plastic surgery restores the form and function of the face and body. It covers reconstruction after trauma, disease and congenital difference as well as aesthetic work, and the two halves of the specialty share the same training pathway. That pathway is long.
The stages
Medical school Five to six years at an accredited university. Entry is competitive, and candidates are generally strongest in chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics.
Licensing examinations Set by the national medical council, with written and oral components covering anatomy, pharmacology, clinical skills and medical ethics.
General surgery residency Broad exposure to surgical practice: clinical training under experienced surgeons, ward rounds, lectures, conferences and research. Duration varies by country and by hospital.
Plastic surgery residency Entry requires passing written and oral examinations, demonstrating surgical experience and submitting references. Training combines theoretical education with supervised clinical work across both reconstructive and aesthetic procedures.
EBOPRAS examination The European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery examination is in two parts, testing clinical skill alongside knowledge of anatomy, operative technique, pre- and post-operative care, ethics and medical law.
Registration A certified surgeon then registers with the medical association of the country they intend to practise in, which is what permits work in public hospitals, private clinics or independent practice.
Continuing education Technique and equipment change, and maintaining certification requires ongoing training throughout a career.
What the work requires
Beyond technical precision, discipline and sustained concentration in theatre, the specialty demands diagnostic and problem-solving ability, the capacity to explain complex decisions to patients clearly, collaboration with other specialties, and emotional resilience.
The difficulties, stated plainly
The training period is long and the working weeks are heavy. Competition for posts is intense at every stage. The financial cost of the education is significant. And the responsibility is real: the consequences of error fall on the patient.
A typical week
Operating lists, pre- and post-operative care, outpatient clinics, research, teaching in medical schools, and on-call cover for emergencies. Sixty to seventy hour weeks are usual. The hours are flexible in structure but demanding in total.
About the author
Dr. Demetris Stavrou graduated from the University of Athens Medical School and completed his residency at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel, followed by a fellowship in advanced aesthetic surgery at the Melbourne Institute of Plastic Surgery.
He holds an MSc with Distinction in Wound Healing and Tissue Repair from the University of Cardiff, is an Honorary Tutor at the University of Cardiff and an Assistant Professor at St George’s University of London / University of Nicosia. He is a Fellow of EBOPRAS, an International Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and an ATLS instructor. He is a visiting surgeon at a number of medical centres and is active in research and scientific publication.
His practice covers blepharoplasty, brow lift, chin augmentation, facelift, facial skin cancer treatment, neck lift, otoplasty and rhinoplasty.
Before you act on this
Everything here is general. What applies to you depends on your anatomy, your history and what you are trying to achieve, and none of that can be assessed from a page. If a question here is yours, bring it to a consultation.