plastic surgeon

Plastic Surgeon

Duties and Responsibilities:

Plastic surgeons are medical professionals, specializing in the correction or restoration of form and function of damaged or malformed areas of the body. Plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, and the treatment of burns. Plastic surgery, as a specialty, evolved remarkably during the 20th century in the United States, gaining increasing importance during the treatment of World War I soldiers with complex maxillofacial injuries. Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct problems caused by burns, traumatic injuries, congenital abnormalities, developmental abnormalities, infection and disease, and cancer or tumors. While the general purpose of reconstructive plastic surgery is to improve function, it may also be performed to restore or approximate a normal appearance.

Salary: $343,848 Annually

Education:

Most prospective plastic surgeons complete undergraduate degrees prior to attending medical school. Although bachelor's degrees in any major are acceptable, premedical students must complete certain prerequisite courses, including chemistry, biology and physics. The first two years of medical school, referred to as the preclinical years, teach students the fundamentals of body systems, diseases and patient care. The final two years are the clinical years and place students in healthcare facilities to perform clinical rotations. Surgery is a required rotation and some schools offer clerkships in plastic surgery.

Reflection: Do you think you would like to be one? Why? Why not?