August 20th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Joseph Mele, guest author for ABoardCertifiedPlasticSurgeonResource.com
I was recently asked to contribute to A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Resource, an online resource helping patients find Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. My article stresses the importance of Board Certification, and explains how to recognize a true Medical Board.
Most Medical Boards are self regulating. The long standing, traditional medical boards are also under the regulation of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Under the ABMS the only Board specifically dedicated to Plastic Surgery is the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Other sound-alike boards, for example The American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, have not been accepted as ABMS Boards, and thus fall outside the regulation of the ABMS.
Information about the American Board of Plastic Surgery can be found right here on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog: Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
For the full version of the article, click the picture below.
Dr. Mele's article on Board Certification
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August 1st, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Joseph Mele's San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog
Thank you for reading my Plastic Surgery Blog. The previous posting, Dr. Mele Receives the 2009 Patients’ Choice Award, pushes the number of posts on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog to over 100. Not bad for a little over a year of existence.
Thanks to readers like you, the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog consistently ranks high on Google. Of the millions of listings found under “plastic surgery blog,” today the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog is once again ranked number one. While Google is constantly adjusting its rankings, the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog consistently ranks among the select few found on page one.
If you are new to the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, I hope you find these articles useful and informative. The goal is to provide information about a wide range of plastic surgery topics in an interesting and entertaining fashion. If you are interested in a specific procedure, the ever increasing number of articles are organized by topic. You can find these topics listed to the left under Categories.
Most of the articles were inspired by the questions I receive every day in my Walnut Creek Plastic Surgery practice. I am open to requests, so if you cannot find an article addressing your area of interest in plastic surgery, let me know, and I will try to help.
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July 28th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele 2009 Patients Choice Award Recipient
Thanks to you and other happy patients, I have again received the Patients’ Choice Award. More than 800,000 patient reviews and ratings were gathered for the 2009 Patients’ Choice Award, and this top rating has only been given to a select few of the nation’s doctors.
Ratings are compared in the following areas:
- Bedside manner
- Amount of time spent with patients
- Courtesy of my staff
- Appropriate follow-up
- Overall opinion of me as a physician
The award is selected on merit by American Registry, in partnership with LexisNexis, Vitals and Castle Connolly Medical’s America’s Top Doctors.
Thank you to my patients. There is nothing better than being appreciated. I am very happy that I was able to make a positive contribution to your lives. Thank you for choosing me as your San Francisco, East Bay Area Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Walnut Creek.
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June 22nd, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is a Active Member of the International Confederation for Plastic Reconstructiive and Aesthetic Surgery (IPRAS)
The International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ICPRAS) is the largest plastic surgery society on Earth. Since 1955, meetings have been held around the world to foster the advancement of Plastic Surgery. Previous sites include:
- Stockholm (1955)
- London (1959)
- Washington (1963)
- Rome (1967)
- Melbourne (1971)
- Paris (1975)
- Rio de Janiero (1979)
- Montreal (1983)
- New Delhi (1987)
- Madrid (1992)
- Yokohama (1995)
- San Francisco (1999)
- Sydney (2003)
- Berlin (2007)
- Vancouver (2011)
I was fortunate to have attended the last Quadrennial congress held in San Francisco (1999). While it was 11 years ago, almost 90 National Societies were represented, more than twice the founding 39 National Societies.
The IPRAS has four Chapters, each with its own International Society.
- Reconstructive Microsurgery
- Hand Surgery
- Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
- Craniofacial Surgery
These cover the main areas of subspecialization in Plastic Surgery. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is represented by the International Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) which will be having its meeting here, in San Francisco, this August.
Practicing Plastic Surgery in the San Francisco Bay Area has advantages. San Francisco is a nice place to visit, so we attract many state, national and international plastic surgery meetings. This certainly makes it convenient to attend the best Plastic Surgery Conferences in the World.
As plastic surgery advances and expands, international societies like the IPRAS and the ISAPS will continue to provide a wide range of experience and perspective.
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June 20th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is an Active Member of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons (CSPS).
The California Society of Plastic Surgeons (CSPS) is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. The CSPS is the largest State Plastic Surgery Society in the US with 450 members. It is the third largest American plastic surgery society after the two National Societies: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Every member is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
The mission of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons is to:
- Advance the profession of plastic surgery through continuing educational activities
- Advise the public through direct patient education
- Act as patient advocates, protecting the welfare of the people of California with respect to cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery
As part of its mission, the California Society of Plastic Surgeons monitors legislation that effects the practice of medicine, especially as pertains to plastic surgery. To extend its expertise, the CSPS maintains delegates to the California Medical Association (CMA). In 2000, I was the CSPS delegate to the Young Physicians Section, at the California Medical Association’s Annual Meeting held in Reno, Nevada.
The society includes plastic surgeons specializing in both cosmetic plastic surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery. Most members of our state society are also members of the ASPS. Members who specialize in aesthetic (cosmetic) plastic surgery, are often also members of the ASAPS. I am proud to belong to all three groups, each of which promotes the practice of plastic surgery with the highest ethical standards and the foremost professional training and qualifications.
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June 18th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons
The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons (ASBPS), was established by Board Certified Plastic Surgeons with a special interest the facial and body contouring procedures used after massive weight loss. Its mission is the care of patients who have lost significant amounts or weight through diet, exercise, bariatric surgery or any combination of the three. The ASBPS facilitates the exchange of ideas and techniques of post-bariatric plastic surgery among experienced board certified plastic surgeons and provides information for patients seeking relief from the burden of the excess skin that can remain after weight loss.
What are the Most Common Post-Bariatric Plastic Surgery Procedures?
The post bariatric plastic surgery procedures performed are similar to the traditional techniques. Some require modifications to allow more skin to be removed. The more common procedures are:
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June 16th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is an active member of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Who is the American Society of Plastic Surgeons?
Perhaps you are familiar with the cyan circle above. It is the symbol of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The ASPS was established in 1931, by two European immigrants: Jacques Maliniac (Warsaw, Poland) and Gustave Aufricht (Budapest, Hungary), and has become the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. With over 6000 members, the ASPS has become a world wide partner in plastic surgery education, innovation and patient care.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons Membership
Membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons means your Plastic Surgeon is Board Certified and uniquely qualified to take care of a wide range of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery needs. To demonstrate our eligibility for membership, plastic surgeons have to:
- Be Board Certified (In the US by the American Board of Plastic Surgery)
- Be sponsored by current active or life members of the ASPS
- Meet specific Continuing Medical Education requirements in Plastic Surgery and Patient Safety
- Abide by the ASPS Bylaws and Code of Ethics
- Operate only in Accredited Hospitals and Outpatient Surgical Facilities (Surgery Centers)
- Maintain hospital admitting privileges in Plastic Surgery
Why not the American Society of Cosmetic Surgeons?
Plastic surgery encompasses more than cosmetic surgery. It includes a wide array of reconstructive procedures too. Did you know the first kidney transplant was performed by a plastic surgeon? ASPS member, Joseph Murray, MD, of Boston, received the 1990 Noble Prize in Medicine for his work with organ transplantation.
The society changed its name to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons from The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) a few years back. The move was made to both simplify and unify the divergent aspects of the discipline.
The word “plastic” in plastic surgery comes from the Greek root plastikos. The word plastikos means to mold or give form, which is what we do to the body. Whether this is done for cosmetic or reconstructive reasons, it is still plastic surgery.
Why do we do Plastic Surgery?
Dr. Gaspare Tagliacozzi (1597) said it best. “We restore, repair and make whole, those parts which nature has given, but misfortune has taken away, not so much that they might delight the eyes of the beholder but that they may buoy up the spirit and help the mind of the afflicted.” In other words, we do it for you.
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June 10th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is an Active Member of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
I am proud to be an active member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). The ASAPS is the premier American professional medical society for cosmetic surgery. Its members are exclusively Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, who are actively practicing, and refining, the art of aesthetic plastic surgery.
About the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
The ASAPS was founded in 1967, to serve both professional and public interests. The organization currently has 2600 members from around the world. The ASAPS membership is a subset of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who specialize in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. Only about one-forth of all American Board Certified Plastic Surgeons have been accepted for membership in the ASAPS.
The Goals of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
The goals of the organization are:
- Patient Advocacy –
- Promoting the utmost in patient safety
- Promoting the highest standards of ethical conduct
- Advocating for your right to be fully informed
- Public Education –
- Public outreach regarding procedures
- Maintaining an up-to-date web site (ASAPS web site)
- Media outreach via the ASAPS Communications Office
- Professional Educational –
- Sponsoring scientific meetings (2010 DC Meeting)
- Publishing the Aesthetic Surgery Journal
- Offering Continuing Medical Education
- Research –
- Collecting data on Plastic Surgery
- Publishing annual statistics on Plastic Surgery utilization (2009 statistics)
- Supporting research in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Membership
Physicians who have been trained in specialties other than Plastic Surgery, are not eligible for membership. To be a member you must:
- Be a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Be in at least the third year of active practice after achieving Board Certification
- Participate in ongoing Continuing Medical Education to stay current
- Document the performance of a significant number and variety of cosmetic surgical cases to demonstrate experience and dedication to cosmetic plastic surgery
- Be sponsored by two active ASAPS members to help ensure applicants have a high professional reputation
- Adhere to the ASAPS Code of Ethics for professional conduct
Membership in the ASAPS is just one more way that I demonstrate my commitment to my patients, and make evident my dedication to the safe and ethical practice of cutting-edge Cosmetic Plastic Surgery.
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June 8th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
The importance of Board Certification cannot be stressed enough, but what does it really mean, and how do you know if your doctor is certified by a legitimate board?
What is a Legitimate Board?
The oranization that oversees Board Certification in the United States is the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Anyone can create a Board, but the ABMS is recognized as the “gold standard” in physician certification. The ABMS oversees 24 approved medical specialty boards, and helps to develop uniform standards by which physicians are evaluated and certified. These 24 core boards are sometimes referred to as the “real” medical boards.
So You Want to be a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon?
If you want to be a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, here is all you need to do:
- Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree
- Complete Medical School (4 years)
- Obtain Physicians and Surgeons License (more exams)
- General Surgery Residency (3 to 5 years)
- 3 years is the minimum and must be completed at the same institution.
- 5 years you can apply for General Surgery Board Certification (American Board of Surgery)
- Written Qualifying Exam (after completing an approved General Surgery Residency)
- Oral Certifying Exam (the year after passing the Qualifying Exam)
- Plastic Surgery Fellowship (2 to 3 years)
- Board Certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Written Qualifying Exam (after completing an approved Plastic Surgery Fellowship)
- Oral Certifying Exam (the year after passing the Qualifying Exam)
How I Became a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Here is how I did it:
- Bachelor of Science Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Davis – Davis, CA
- Completed Medical School at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine – Sacramento, CA
- Obtained an unrestricted Physicians and Surgeons License from the Medical Board of California
- General Surgery Residency (5 years)
- General Surgery Internship – University of California, Davis Medical Center – Sacramento, CA
- General Surgery Residency (with Chief Residency) – San Joaquin General Hospital – Stockton, CA
- Board Certification from the American Board of Surgery
- Passed the Written Qualifying Exam
- Passed the Oral Certifying Exam
- Plastic Surgery Fellowship (3 years)
- Plastic Surgery Fellowship (with Chief Residency) – Saint Francis Memorial Hospital – San Francisco, CA
- Board Certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Passed the Written Qualifying Exam
- Passed the Oral Certifying Exam
Maintenance of Certification
A generation ago, once you were Board Certified, you were Board Certified for life, but this has changed. Since 1995 Board Certification needs to be maintained yearly and renewed every 10 years. Maintenance of Certification is now the norm.
In order to retain certification, each board now has specific ongoing requirements. For the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Maintenance of Certification includes yearly submissions and reviews which include reviews of hospital privileges, case logs, licensing, continuing medical education and peer reviews. Additionally, every ten years another written examination must be passed.
I maintain Board Certification and have recertified with two ABMS boards:
- The American Board of Plastic Surgery
- The American Board of Surgery
Why Recertify?
Board Certification is voluntary, expensive and time consuming. So when a Plastic Surgeon is Board Certified, it means they care about their patients and their profession. It demonstrates that they are willing to make the extra effort to prove that they are uniquely qualified to perform plastic surgery.
The goal of Board Certification is to improve patient safety. When you see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, you can be assured that their background has been checked by other Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who also care about their patients and their profession.
Board Certified Means
Board Certified means your Plastic Surgeon has:
- the proper medical license
- completed the correct training
- passed a written qualifying exam
- passed a review of patient care and surgeries after training
- passed an oral certifying exam
Board Recertified Means
If your Plastic Surgeon has recertified this means they have:
- maintained an unrestricted State Medical License
- maintained active membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgery
- maintained Hospital Privileges in Plastic Surgery
- operated only in Accredited Surgical Facilities
- completed a minimum of 50 hours of Continuing Medical Education a year
- every three years
- has all the above corroborated by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- completed a tracer procedure
- completed benchmark reporting
- completed an action plan
- completed a review of 150 hours of Continuing Medical Education
- completed educational activities specific to Plastic Surgery Maintenance of Certification
- maintained an unrestricted State Medical License
- every ten years
- reapplied for Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- passed a case load review of all surgeries performed for a 6 month period
- satisfactorily completed a written cognitive examination
- and they have the opportunity to start the process over again.
It takes dedication, persistence and effort to maintain Board Certification, and so does being a Plastic Surgeon. You owe it to yourself to do the research and check your plastic surgeon before having any procedure, the Internet makes it easy. The following links, will make it even easier. Just click on what you want to do:
Check if your doctor is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Check if your doctor is Board Certified by another American Board of Medical Specialties board. You will need to register to use this site, but it is safe, free and fast.
Check if your doctor has an unrestricted California Medical License. Read the disclaimer and click “Continue to Search” at the bottom. If you are not in California, Google your local medical board for a link.
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June 6th, 2010 Dr. Mele
Dr. Mele is an Active Member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS)
The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) will be celebrating it 40th anniversary this summer here in San Francisco. Established to facilitate the sharing of cosmetic plastic surgery knowledge, ISAPS meetings are cutting edge with an international flavor. ISAPS members are worldwide leaders in plastic surgery, and the symposium will include the latest techniques from all around the world.
What Does ISAPS Membership Mean?
ISAPS membership is a privilege. I am proud to be an ISAPS member, one of only 222 in the United States. Membership represents years of training (residency), the successful completion of qualifying and certifying exams (board certification), and active membership in good standing of both American national societies (the ASPS and ASAPS). Membership is by invitation, and I was accepted only after a rigorous evaluation process which thoroughly reviewed my qualifications, capabilities, ethics and commitment to patients safety.
Why do Plastic Surgeons Join Plastic Surgery Societies?
For me, the main reason is patient safety. Professional plastic surgery societies help disseminate information about the latest techniques. The ISAPS is worldwide professional medical society focussed primarily on Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery. We spend most of our time talking about the best that plastic surgery has to offer, so that as individual physicians, we can offer our patients better results with a shorter recovery. We also review the lesser outcomes to learn how to prevent complications and provide the utmost in patient safety. A professional society is a forum in which I can share my experience and learn from the experience of my peers.
A Brief History of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
The ISAPS was established on February 12, 1970. To affirm its global nature, the site of inception was the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Today, the society has 1864 Board Certified Plastic Surgeon members from 87 countries. The twenty countries with the largest memberships are:
- United States (222 members)
- Brazil (205 members)
- Mexico (131 members)
- Spain (73 members)
- Japan (69 members)
- Germany (63 members)
- France (62 members)
- Australia (60 members)
- Italy (59 members)
- Turkey (59 members)
- Argentina (56 members)
- Switzerland (49 members)
- Taiwan (46 members)
- South Africa (44 members)
- Serbia (34 members)
- United Kingdom (33 members)
- Russia (29 members)
- Greece (28 members)
- Canada (27 members)
- India (27 members)
The goal of the organization is the sharing of up-to-date and accurate information about the cosmetic side of plastic surgery to both its members and the public.
The Two Sides of Plastic Surgery Remain United
The discipline of Plastic Surgery encompasses both Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery. The distinctions my seem clean; however, they are difficult to separate. Both halves contribute to the whole of what the practice of Plastic Surgery means.
The ISAPS was the first chapter of the International Confederation of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (ICPRAS). It was important to the founding members that the Aesthetic Society not divide plastic surgery into reconstructive and cosmetic disciplines, but to maintain aesthetic surgery as a specialty within Plastic Surgery. At the time cosmetic plastic surgery was the ugly step-sister, so it took some effort. This guiding principle lives on. The ISAPS maintains the word “Plastic” in its name to convey that its members are specialists in Plastic Surgery. Eventually, the International Society also added Aesthetic to show the inclusive principle was mutual.
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