Question 1

What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon?

administer · Accepted Answer

An Australian plastic surgeon generally completes around 12 years of training. The standard path is 6-8 years of university to become a newly qualified doctor. A further 2-5 years of work as an intern, resident, then registrar is required. Many persue further university qualifications to improve chances in getting accepted into the plastic surgery training program. This specialised plastic surgery training is 5 years. Once they pass their final exams, they are awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Many will then complete another 1-2 years of fellowship training either in Australia or overseas. Despite claims to the contrary from cosmetic surgeons, a dedicated component of this time is devoted to cosmetic surgery.

What is a cosmetic surgeon? Any doctor that has finished their internship may call themselves a cosmetic surgeon. There are no regulations in Australia to prohibit a doctor from calling themselves a surgeon, despite having minimal to no surgical training and no formal qualifications. If unsure of your surgeons qualifications, check out AHPRA, our regulatory body for all doctors. If they do not have FRACS (PLAS) behind their name, they are not plastic surgeon.

Question 2

What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon?

administer · Accepted Answer

An Australian plastic surgeon generally completes around 12 years of training. The standard path is 6-8 years of university to become a newly qualified doctor. A further 2-5 years of work as an intern, resident, then registrar is required. Many persue further university qualifications to improve chances in getting accepted into the plastic surgery training program. This specialised plastic surgery training is 5 years. Once they pass their final exams, they are awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Many will then complete another 1-2 years of fellowship training either in Australia or overseas. Despite claims to the contrary from cosmetic surgeons, a dedicated component of this time is devoted to cosmetic surgery.

What is a cosmetic surgeon? Any doctor that has finished their internship may call themselves a cosmetic surgeon. There are no regulations in Australia to prohibit a doctor from calling themselves a surgeon, despite having minimal to no surgical training and no formal qualifications. If unsure of your surgeons qualifications, check out AHPRA, our regulatory body for all doctors. If they do not have FRACS (PLAS) behind their name, they are not plastic surgeon.