Plastic Surgeon is a medical professional who is qualified and trained to perform Plastic/Cosmetic surgery on his patients to repair their skin and structural problems. He is the doctor who can literally change the outlook of a patient having any kind of marks on his body or face due to some injury, burn or some inborn problems like cleft lips.
Plastic Surgeon's job description also includes giving specific shape and moulding a certain part of the body such as the nose, ears and face for cosmetic and functional effect. Plastic Surgeon is also apt to repair congenital problems, such as a malformed bone structure in hands or feet. They can reshape the normal body parts with cosmetic surgery for aesthetic reasons whereas reconstructive surgery is done for the damaged body parts due to accidents, fires incidents, illness or malformation.
Plastic Surgeons use various techniques and surgical procedures like mastectomy, contracture surgery for burn victims, sexual reassignment surgery, Rhinoplasty, Abdominoplasty, Augmentation Mammaplasty, Chemical peel, Collagen injections etc to name a few to treat their patients.
Change in mentality and improved living standards have made people - especially attached to show business- conscious about their personality and physical appearance. As their desired level of good appearance can be attained by various surgical procedures the demand of the experienced Plastic Surgeon has increased a lot in the last few years making this as one of the most Lucrative Career options in the field of medicine.
Thus to become a successful Plastic Surgeon, one must be able to use these techniques precisely. Aspiring candidates with required academic qualification, capacity to work for long hours along with genuine desire to treat their patients can become successful Plastic Surgeon by acquiring required expertise.
Plastic Surgeon Eligibility
Educational Qualification
Candidates aspiring to become a Plastic Surgeon must possess a 5½ years MBBS degree followed by 2- 3 years M.S.(Plastic Surgery) course.
How to become a Plastic Surgeon?
Aspiring candidates have to follow the below-given steps to become a Plastic Surgeon.
Step 1
Students who have appeared or are appearing in +2 (with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as main subjects) have to appear in an Medical Entrance Tests conducted by the various State and Independent bodies like PMT, taken by Punjab Government and AIPMT (Pre Medical Test) taken by the CBSE to admit candidates in various medical institutions affiliated with it.
The separate test is conducted by some of the highly rated medical institutions like AIIMS, PGI, GMCH, AFMC Pune etc. These exams are generally held in the month of May-June.
Step 2
After completion of these four and half years of MBBS degree course and one year and six months, compulsory training one has to go for M.S.( Plastic Surgery).
Aspiring MBBS doctors have to appear in Post Graduate Medical Entrance Tests like All India Post Graduate Medical/Dental Entrance Exam and Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research Entrance Exam.
However, some institutes also provide admission on the basis of marks obtained in MBBS course and work experience of the aspiring candidates.
Step 3
After completing their requisite specialization courses i.e M.S.(Plastic Surgery) and getting the mandatory registration from Medical Council of India the budding Plastic Surgeons can get jobs in reputed Government and Private Hospitals like AIIMS etc. Nephrologist with good entrepreneurial skill can also open their own Clinic and provide services to the patients.
Those who want to go for further specialization or research work can also opt for M.Ch.(Plastic Surgery) after completion of 2-3 years of M.S.(Plastic Surgery) courses.
Plastic Surgeon Job Description
Plastic Surgeons job description includes giving specific shape and moulding a certain part of the body such as the nose, ears and face for cosmetic and functional effect. Their work also includes repairing congenital problems, such as the malformed bone structure in hands or feet. They reshape the normal body parts with cosmetic surgery for aesthetic reasons and adopt reconstructive surgery for the damaged body parts due to accidents, fires incidents, illness or malformation.
Plastic Surgeon Career Prospects
Change in Life Style, Modernization has made people more conscious about their physical appearance and outlook than any time before. Improved techniques and procedure has made this possible with plastic surgery. This has increased the demand for expert Plastic Surgeon than ever before. Thus the prospects for Plastic Surgeons are quite bright in the coming times too. There is a good scope for Plastic Surgeons not only in Government Sector but also Private Sector Hospitals and Plastic Surgery Centers too.
Plastic Surgeon Salary
Plastic Surgeon in Government Sector can expect to get nearly Rs.60,000 to Rs.75,000, depending upon his experience and expertise. Besides, they are also entitled to various perks and allowances such as free accommodation, medical coverage, paid vacation, sick days, paid holidays and post-retirement pension that all with flexible work schedule. Plastic Surgeon engaged in Corporate Sector can expect anything between Rs.80,000 to Rs.1,00,000 per month. However, those engaged in private practice can earn that much amount in one case only.
