Patients and referring physicians often hear the phrase “board-certified plastic surgeon.” The words matter, but so does which board stands behind them.
The Lancaster Plastic Surgery Society requires every member to be a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). That is not a branding preference. It is the standard that aligns our local community with national specialty recognition.
The ABMS standard
The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the only plastic surgery board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). ABMS recognition means certification rests on accredited plastic surgery residency training, a defined specialty body of knowledge, and examinations that assess both written and oral judgment.
Facial plastics and oculoplastics are not plastic surgery
Titles that sound adjacent are a common source of confusion. Surgeons who practice facial plastic surgery or oculoplastic surgery are not plastic surgeons under the ABMS definition of the specialty.
- Facial plastic surgery credentials — typically obtained after otolaryngology–head and neck surgery training — are not ABPS certification. Facial plastic surgery boards are not currently recognized by ABMS as the plastic surgery specialty board.
- Oculoplastic surgery is fellowship training built on ophthalmology. It is not plastic surgery residency, and oculoplastic credentials are not currently recognized by ABMS as plastic surgery board certification.
These colleagues may be highly trained within their own pathways. That is not the question this Society asks. The question is whether a surgeon is a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Facial plastics and oculoplastics do not meet that standard, and certification by those boards does not qualify for membership here.
Cosmetic surgery boards and other related credentials likewise are not equivalent to ABPS. Similar marketing language does not create specialty equivalence.
What the pathway includes
ABPS diplomates complete plastic surgery training through programs that meet national accreditation standards. After training, candidates must pass a rigorous examination process. Certification is not a one-time event: diplomates participate in continuous certification so that knowledge and practice standards remain current.
That pathway is designed to prepare surgeons for the full breadth of plastic and reconstructive surgery — aesthetic and reconstructive work involving the face, breast, body, and extremities, as well as complex reconstruction after trauma, cancer, or congenital conditions.
Why this Society insists on it
Our membership criteria exist so that educational meetings, case discussion, and public-facing writing rest on a shared foundation. When colleagues consult one another, they should be able to assume a common plastic surgery training and ABPS certification background. When patients look for a Society member, they should know that ABPS certification is required — not optional, and not interchangeable with facial plastic or oculoplastic credentials.
This blog is educational. It is not a substitute for an individual consultation, and it is not advertising for any particular practice. Its purpose is to make the Society’s standards clear.
A practical checklist
If you are choosing a plastic surgeon in Lancaster — or referring a patient — consider confirming:
- Current diplomate status with the American Board of Plastic Surgery — not facial plastic, oculoplastic, or cosmetic surgery boards
- That “board-certified” refers specifically to ABPS, the only plastic surgery board currently recognized by ABMS
- An active practice of plastic and reconstructive surgery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Hospital privileges appropriate to the procedures under consideration
- A willingness to discuss training, risks, alternatives, and expected recovery in plain language
You can browse Society members on our Find a Surgeon page as the membership grows.
Questions about membership criteria or Society education are always welcome through our contact form.
Tobias C. Long, MD
Founding Member