Checking a Surgeon's Board Certification
Board certification is the shortest available answer to the question of whether a surgeon has actually been trained to do the operation you are considering. This page explains what the European certification involves and how to verify it independently.
Anyone can describe themselves as a cosmetic surgeon. Board certification in plastic surgery is a different matter: it is awarded on completion of a defined training pathway and after examination, and it can be checked independently.
What certification requires
Certification follows a medical degree, two years of general surgical residency, and a further four years of residency in plastic and aesthetic surgery. The candidate must then pass written and oral examinations. In Europe those examinations are set by the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery — EBOPRAS.
How to verify it
Three checks, in order of reliability:
- Search the professional registers directly. EBOPRAS, the European Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) all maintain member directories. A surgeon’s name either appears or it does not.
- Look for certification marks on the surgeon’s own website — and then confirm them against the register above, rather than taking the logo at face value.
- Read independent patient feedback, which tells you about the experience of being their patient but not about their qualifications.
Which bodies count
In Europe, EBOPRAS. In the United States, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which sits under the American Board of Medical Specialties. Certification is only meaningful when it comes from an accredited body; organisations exist whose names resemble these and whose certification does not represent the same training.
Why it matters
Certification is not a marketing claim. It is evidence that a surgeon completed supervised training in the specific specialty, was examined on it, and is subject to a continuing education requirement. On an elective operation, it is the first thing to establish and the easiest to check.
Dr. Demetris Stavrou is a Fellow of EBOPRAS and an International Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, practising in Cyprus, Greece and Malta.
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.