American Board of Plastic Surgery

American Board of Plastic Surgery
Name	American Board of Plastic Surgery
Formation	1937
Type	Medical specialty board
Headquarters	United States
Leader title	Executive Director

American Board of Plastic Surgery is a certifying organization for physicians practicing plastic surgery in the United States and certain affiliated regions. Founded in the 20th century, the board establishes standards for training, assessment, and professional conduct among plastic surgeons, working alongside surgical organizations, hospitals, and academic centers. It interacts with multiple specialty societies and accreditation bodies to shape practice, assessment, and policy affecting reconstructive and aesthetic procedures.

History

The board emerged amid interwar and postwar developments in surgical subspecialization involving figures and institutions such as William Halsted, Harvey Cushing, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Mayo Clinic. Early plastic surgery pioneers including Thorek, Vladimir Filatov, Sir Harold Gillies, and Archibald McIndoe influenced reconstructive principles adopted by American practitioners associated with Bellevue Hospital, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Harvard Medical School. The establishment paralleled formation of American Board of Surgery, American Medical Association, and state medical boards, and coordinated with specialty societies such as American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons, and international groups including International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and European Board of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. Mid-century events like the World War I, World War II, and advances at institutions like Walter Reed National Military Medical Center accelerated demand for reconstructive expertise, leading to formalized certification pathways and examination formats influenced by academic centers such as University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Stanford University Medical Center.

Organization and Governance

Governance structures mirror nonprofit specialty boards such as American Board of Surgery and American Board of Ophthalmology, with trustees, officers, and committees. Leadership often comprises faculty from institutions like Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, and Yale School of Medicine. The board coordinates credentialing with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and certification registries like American Board of Medical Specialties and engages with regulatory entities including state medical boards in New York (state), California, and Texas. Advisory links extend to professional groups such as American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, Society of University Surgeons, and specialty journals like Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Annals of Plastic Surgery, and Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

Certification and Examinations

Certification pathways reflect procedures used by boards including American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and American Board of Pediatrics. Candidates undergo written and oral examinations developed with psychometric methods similar to those employed by Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and National Board of Medical Examiners. Exams test competencies aligned with curricula at programs affiliated with Mount Sinai Health System, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The board’s processes reference standards in documents produced by Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and guidelines from societies such as American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery and American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

Training and Eligibility Standards

Eligibility frameworks require graduate training analogous to requirements from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and residency programs accredited through institutions like Boston Children’s Hospital, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Duke University Hospital. Prospective diplomates typically complete integrated or independent pathways with affiliations to departments at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Emory University School of Medicine, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Standards reference fellowship experiences in subspecialties recognized by American Society of Plastic Surgeons, such as craniofacial surgery with groups like Shriners Hospitals for Children, hand surgery with American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and microsurgery with centers like MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Maintenance of Certification and Continuing Education

Ongoing requirements parallel maintenance systems from American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Pediatrics, encompassing continuing medical education activities accredited by Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, performance assessment data from programs like Physician Quality Reporting System, and participation in patient safety initiatives such as Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Diplomates engage with meetings hosted by American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Aesthetic Society, European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and specialty conferences including Plastic Surgery The Meeting and ASPS Annual Meeting to fulfill learning modules and quality improvement projects.

Controversies and Criticism

The board has faced debate similar to discussions around American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology concerning high-stakes examinations, recertification costs, and transparency. Critics cite tensions involving credentialing disputes with state medical boards in Florida, California, and New York (state), conflicts with physician advocacy groups like American Medical Association, and disputes over scope defined vis-à-vis otolaryngology, dermatology, and orthopaedic surgery societies. Further controversies mirror broader issues in medicine such as outcomes reporting disputes exemplified by controversies at institutions like Troy-area clinics, litigation involving cosmetic procedures in jurisdictions like Nevada and Florida, and public debates following media coverage in outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Category:Medical associations based in the United States