Industry Buzz

With the expansion of aesthetic technology and associated aesthetic procedures, there has been a parallel growth in office-based procedures being completed by non-surgically trained physicians. In many cases, this may be acceptable per their board certification, but in some cases, the envelope is being over zealously pushed, which has had an extremely negative effect on patient safety and surgery outcomes. Whether the motivation of the involved physician is financial, personal or professional, ethical consideration must be applied to physicians who are conducting procedures when they have had no formal residency or fellowship training. Clearly organizations exist that will train physicians to perform a specific procedure. These are almost always weekend courses that are not recognized by the physician?s professional board or their malpractice insurance carrier. More concerning is the fact that there is no selection process that allows only the most well trained and competent physicians to perform these procedures. This is in glaring contrast to the training of plastic surgeons, who are board certified with respect to cosmetic procedures.

Consider Dr. Jason Martin, a board certified plastic surgeon who has now joined the VITAHL family. His training consisted of 7 years of post medical school surgical training at some of the most prestigious medical facilities in the United States. Specifically, he completed a general surgery residency and plastic surgery fellowship training at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. He then was selected for post fellowship training in cosmetic surgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City. He furthermore is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This is an arduous process that involves multiple tests and evaluations over a 3 year period after training, and also has a greater than 50% failure rate for first time applicants. When considering the disparity in training, it is hard to imagine why a patient would willingly choose a non-surgically trained physician for a cosmetic procedure. Even the desire to save a few dollars does not outweigh the risk. Come in to meet Dr. Martin and see how his expertise can help you meet your surgical goals.