CAREER IN PLASTIC SURGERY 

The career path of Plastic Surgeons takes a minimum of 9 years after medical school.

 

After medical school, graduates then continue their career progress as a Junior Doctor in the allocated foundation programme. Foundation programme consist of three 4-month placements each year in F1 and F2 where you can gain experience in a variety of specialties and healthcare settings. Upon completion, trainees will be awarded the Foundation Achievement of Competence Document (FACD) which also means that trainees will acquire full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC). This allows you to apply for Core Surgical Training.    

 

The Core Surgical Training is a two years training programme which consists of subspecialty placements in different surgical specialties each lasting from four to six months. In order to enter a Plastic Surgery subspeciality, trainees will have to apply via a highly competitive national selection process - which is held twice a year. Successful applicants will have obtained membership of the Royal College of Surgeons and spent a minimum of six months in plastic surgery posts.

 

Unsuccessful applicants for the Plastic Surgery post might consider taking a 'gap year' and apply for Plastic Surgery related Locum posts while waiting for the next application date.  

 

Trainees will have to complete and pass the MRCS examinations, which will enable you to do the four or more years of plastic surgery training in ST3. To gain their certificate of completion of training (CCT), they are required to pass the intercollegiate specialty examination (FRCS Plast). At this stage doctors are then qualifed to apply for consultant posts and are then eligible to be placed on the GMC's specialist register. In order for qualified Plastic Surgery consultants to perform Aesthetic Surgery, they will have to complete a cosmetic fellowship after their certificate of completion of training.

 

The expected age to completing a Plastic Surgery training pathway is estimated to be early to mid-30s.