ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) cautions consumers on the importance of checking physician credentials in light of an Arizona doctor’s recent license suspension.

On July 10, the Arizona Medical Board announced it had suspended the license of a physician board-certified in internal medicine who had been performing cosmetic procedures. The Board stated that it took action after a third liposuction patient under this physician’s care died earlier this month. The suspended physician is not board-certified in plastic surgery or in any surgical field. Internal medicine is the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases in adults.
“We’re seeing an increasing number of doctors shifting their practices to include plastic surgery procedures,” said Roxanne Guy, MD, ASPS president. “Calling yourself a plastic or cosmetic surgeon does not make you a qualified plastic surgeon.”

In most states, licensed physicians are not restricted from performing plastic surgery regardless of their training. Just because a doctor is board-certified does not mean he or she is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). All ASPS Member Surgeons are certified by the ABPS.

To be ABPS-certified, a physician must meet these rigorous requirements:

• Graduate from an accredited medical school
• Complete a combination of at least five years of general surgery and plastic surgery residency training
• Pass comprehensive oral and written exams
• ASPS Member Surgeons are also required to regularly attend continuing medical education courses, to adhere to a strict code of ethics and are required to perform surgery in accredited surgical facilities.
  
  Visit www.plasticsurgery.org, for referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons and to learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.
  
  The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.