Many physicians are “board certified.” However, the majority of the public do not fully understand what this title really means. There are 24 different board certifications that a physician can earn. Just because a physician is “board certified”, that does not mean that the physician is universally trained and qualified to practice medicine or surgery in any and every field. It seems each and every day there is a new doctor, clinic, or even medispa offering cosmetic surgery. Just remember surgery should be done by a surgeon and just because a physician has the words, “board certified” somewhere in their biography or beneath their name, that does not mean they are a surgeon.

Although having earned the title of “board certified” endorses a physician’s skill and level of expertise, it does so only in the specialty that they are “board certified” in. When considering a physician or surgeon for medical care, elective or otherwise, also find out what specialty the physician is “board certified” in.

For instance, if you were to have surgery, you would want an experienced and qualified surgeon to perform your procedure, elective or medically necessary. You would not want a physician board certified in: psychiatry, internal medicine, family medicine, anesthesiology, or radiology performing surgery on you. These areas of “board certification” do not have the same degree of training, level of surgical expertise, and years of experience in surgery that a board certified surgeon does.

Therefore, when considering having surgery done (whether it is for cosmetic purposes or medically necessary) make sure your physician is both board certified and board certified in a surgical specialty!

“What makes someone a good anesthesiologist does not necessarily make him or her a competent cardiologist.”

– The American Board of Medical Specialties

For additional information on “board certification” and medical specialties please visit www.abms.org.