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Before recently, I never really questioned that those doing the regular plastics route would be better doing facial plastic surgery.
But, more recently, I have to ask the question why a general surgeon who does a general plastics fellowship would be better equipped to do facial plastic surgery than an ENT (or OMFS) who does a facial plastics fellowship as well.
And I'm being serious. Forget about this issue of board certification. Forget about ENT/PS docs having to assure their patients that they are "pastic surgeons."
Here are my thoughts: ENT residents routinely lift flaps used in facelifts (especially doing parotids). We do septoplasties all the time. Occasionally we do rhinoplasties. We do flaps of all kinds when we resect facial skin cancers. BoTox is a no-brainer. We do blephs occasionally. So, we have at least a rudimentary foundation in facial cosmetics before we get to a fellowship.
Do general surgery residents get similar experiences? How often do you guys do plastics rotations during residency or get these kinds of referrals?
I don't know. I think I'd go to a general plastic surgeon, but I'm not sure I know why.
But, more recently, I have to ask the question why a general surgeon who does a general plastics fellowship would be better equipped to do facial plastic surgery than an ENT (or OMFS) who does a facial plastics fellowship as well.
And I'm being serious. Forget about this issue of board certification. Forget about ENT/PS docs having to assure their patients that they are "pastic surgeons."
Here are my thoughts: ENT residents routinely lift flaps used in facelifts (especially doing parotids). We do septoplasties all the time. Occasionally we do rhinoplasties. We do flaps of all kinds when we resect facial skin cancers. BoTox is a no-brainer. We do blephs occasionally. So, we have at least a rudimentary foundation in facial cosmetics before we get to a fellowship.
Do general surgery residents get similar experiences? How often do you guys do plastics rotations during residency or get these kinds of referrals?
I don't know. I think I'd go to a general plastic surgeon, but I'm not sure I know why.