Brian S. Glatt, MD, FACS, of Morristown, NJ, is often asked “are you Board Certified”?
Every Plastic Surgery magazine article and internet blog stresses the importance of finding out if your physician is Board Certified. Most will recommend you look at the practice web site, check when you call the office for your first appointment, or ask the surgeon this important question during your initial consultation. This is all great advice but……“are you board certified” is only half of the question that needs to be asked. What really needs to be asked is “are you a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon”? Board certified dermatologists perform blepharoplasties. Board certified internists perform breast augmentations. Board certified gynecologists give Botox and injectable fillers, some with as little as one day of training! These physicians may be wonderful in their respective fields, and they are board certified. They are, however, not Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), one of the 24 specialty boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The ABPS is the only ABMS board which certifies surgeons in the full spectrum of the specialty of plastic surgery of the entire face and body. That is, plastic and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck, trunk and extremities.
In order to qualify to sit for the boards of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a surgeon must have graduated from a recognized medical school and have at least 6 years of surgical training, with a minimum of 3 years in plastic surgery. Next, the plastic surgeon must pass comprehensive oral and written exams over the course of several years to become a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. The mission of The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc. is to promote safe, ethical, efficacious plastic surgery to the public by maintaining high standards for the education, examination, certification and maintenance of certification of plastic surgeons as specialists.
Plastic surgery involves many choices, the most important of which is selecting your surgeon. Dr. Glatt’s individualized, personal approach for each patient is what sets him apart from his peers. And, yes, he is a board certified plastic surgeon!