01.23.08
How many plastic surgeons fail the boards?
The American Board of Plastic Surgery – the only true governing body for “Board Certified Plastic Surgeons” has released numbers about how many of their applicants fail the boards each year.
 Plastic Surgery board certification is somewhat clouded by other health care professionals trying to cash in. As more patients begin to recognize the importance of board certification less scrupulous practioners fill their ads with certifications from other specialities or non-accredited boards. It’s like applying to a job with several “prestigious degrees from non-accredited institutions”. There is only one certifying body for Board Certification for Plastic Surgery.
 The board requires plastic surgeons to take a written exam, collect and submit all cases they perform for an 8 month period, have their advertising and practices reviewed and then take an oral exam based on their cases and unknown cases.
 So how do practicing plastic surgeons who want that extra seal of excellence do?
 The American Board of Plastic Surgery reports the following:
- For a ten year period, each year an average of 288 people took the written exam each year
- On average 21% of the people taking the exam fail – the board does acknowledge that people who are “repeat testers” fail more often than people taking the written boards for the first time.
 If the plastic surgeons make it through this stage they collect all of their cases for 8 months and may be able to take the oral part of the boards. The board reports that candidates can take the oral boards as many times as they need but must collect new cases for the a new 8 month period each time. (The written exam must be passed within a certain number of attempts.)
So how did they do on the oral exam?
The Board reports for a ten year period:
- Each year an average of 252 people took the oral exam
- Each year an average of 19% failed the exam – again people taking the exam for the 2nd or more time failed at a higher rate than first time takers.
Interesting numbers.
Comments welcomed.
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