Training Requirements

Certification of INDIVIDUALS trained in Plastic Surgery is provided by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). To be eligible for examination you must have satisfactorily completed five years of surgical training, including at least three years of General Surgery and at least two years in an approved Plastic Surgery Residency. All training must be in accredited programs in the U.S. or in Canada. For more detailed information and to obtain your "Preliminary Evaluation of Prerequisite Training" visit the American Board of Plastic Surgery website at www.abplsurg.org. Also, be sure to visit the ABPS requirements page.

Programs may have additional preferences regarding preliminary training. All programs accept applicants with completed training in General Surgery, in Orthopedic Surgery, or in Otolaryngology. Many accept four years; some accept three years of General Surgery.

Some programs make PGY-1 appointments through the NRMP for a combined program of General Surgery and Plastic Surgery. It is your obligation to obtain this information from each program before you apply.

Accreditation of Plastic Surgery training PROGRAMS is provided by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME sets General Requirements for all residency training programs and Special Requirements and Prerequisites for each specialty. These requirements are enforced by the various Residency Review Committees (RRC). For additional information please visit the ACGME website at www.acgme.org.

Rules for foreign medical graduates may vary from year to year and from state to state. Be sure to get current information.