Why Credentials Matter: The Importance of Vetting your Plastic Surgeon

Carlos Hernandez-Fernandez, a Colorado surgical assistant, was arrested and sent to prison for pretending to be a plastic surgeon. Why is it shocking and why is this so common?

Con men have had active business for as long as there’s been human history. All you need is a good pitch, a susceptible audience, the right price, and the world is yours for the picking. The most common are not so brazen as to perform surgical procedures on unsuspecting patients. The more common story is when patients get facial and buttock fillers from some provider in a hotel room near the airport. The people who come to me, clearly harmed, swear that the injector was a doctor in their own country.

So, what does it take to con somebody? A good story; a low price; or just incredible self-confidence?

The Long Road to Becoming a Plastic Surgeon

Let’s take a dive and ask the question; what does it take to be a licensed plastic surgeon in the United States?

• College: Not only do you have to get into college, but you have to be able to perform well on standardized exams, and through excellent grades and exam scores and recommendations get accepted into a medical school.
  
• Medical School: Once in medical school you have to perform very well, achieving high test scores, good grades, and strong recommendations to get accepted into a residency program.
  
• Residency: Residency programs in the specialty of plastic surgery range between five and seven years; but that’s just the beginning.
  
• State Licensing: You then must obtain a state medical license. Most state medical licenses are issued as physician and surgeon. Pathologists hold the same license as a neurosurgeon. This practice goes back to the day when your family doctor would deliver the baby and take out an appendix and essentially do everything. Specialists were rare.
  
• Board Certification: Board certification is yet another hurdle. Though the timing of specialty board examinations varies, the process is often complete by the second year of practice.
  

This is an intense, multi-year process requiring rigorous training, examination, and demonstrated competence.

Why the Danger?

In this case the gentleman was not even a doctor, but a surgical assistant. It’s very likely that Mr. Hernandez-Fernandez learned on the job. Perhaps he had some medical training in the past. But what do we know? Clearly, he did not go through the training and the examinations and the proof of competence that a surgeon has to achieve, but he had a smooth voice, a convincing demeanor and possibly the right price.

How Patients Can Protect Themselves

So, what does it take for a potential patient to make sure that they’re getting the real deal? Clearly, you have to find out something about the person who is holding themselves out to be a plastic surgeon.

• Research your surgeon’s education and training.
  
• Ask what specialty their residency was in.
  
• Look up hospital and academic affiliations.
  
• Verify their medical license online.
  
• Read reviews and ask for personal recommendations.
  
• During your consultation, don’t hesitate to ask to see diplomas or certifications—many surgeons proudly display them.
  

It’s not unfair to ask tough questions. It’s your body and your health on the line. Making your surgeon a little uncomfortable is far better than being deceived by someone unqualified. Ultimately what you’re doing is trying to make sure that you are seeing an excellent plastic surgeon and that you’re not getting hoodwinked.