A double board certified plastic surgeon holds active certification from two separate medical boards, each requiring its own residency training, exams, and clinical experience. The most common combination is certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery along with a second board in a related surgical specialty, such as general surgery, otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat surgery), or oral and maxillofacial surgery. It signals that the surgeon completed two full tracks of specialty training rather than one.
How Double Board Certification Works
Board certification in the United States is overseen by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which recognizes 24 member boards across different medical fields. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is one of them. When a surgeon is “double board certified,” it means two of these recognized boards have independently evaluated and certified them.
The specific pairing depends on the surgeon’s training path. A surgeon certified in both plastic surgery and otolaryngology, for example, completed a full residency in head and neck surgery before pursuing additional plastic surgery training. A surgeon certified in plastic surgery and general surgery completed a general surgery residency that qualified them for that board, then went on to complete a separate plastic surgery residency. Each board requires its own written and oral exams, and each certification must be maintained independently.
The Training Behind Each Certification
The training commitment for even a single board certification in plastic surgery is substantial. The American Board of Plastic Surgery requires candidates to first complete five years of general surgery residency (or an approved alternate pathway in a related surgical specialty) before entering a minimum of three years of plastic surgery residency. An integrated program, which combines both tracks, takes six years. After residency, candidates must pass both a written exam and an oral exam within eight years of completing training. The oral exam requires submitting a log of real surgical cases performed during residency.
A surgeon pursuing double board certification essentially stacks two of these training pipelines. That can mean 10 to 14 years of post-medical school training before they enter independent practice. The second certification isn’t a weekend course or an add-on credential. It represents thousands of additional supervised surgical hours and a separate examination process.
Why the Distinction Matters
Any licensed physician can legally perform cosmetic procedures in the United States, regardless of their training background. A family medicine doctor, a gynecologist, or an emergency physician can all advertise cosmetic surgery services without ever completing a surgical residency. This makes board certification one of the few reliable filters patients have when evaluating a surgeon’s qualifications.
A single board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery already places a surgeon in a well-trained category. Double certification adds depth, typically indicating broader surgical experience across two disciplines. A surgeon certified in both plastic surgery and otolaryngology, for instance, brings specialized knowledge of facial anatomy from their ENT training that complements their plastic surgery skills. A surgeon certified in both plastic surgery and general surgery has extensive experience with complex abdominal and body procedures.
Research supports the value of board certification more broadly. A study of board certification exam performance and patient outcomes found that patients treated by physicians who scored in the top 25 percent on their certification exams had an 8 percent lower risk of dying within seven days of hospital admission compared to patients treated by physicians in the bottom 25 percent.
Board Certified vs. “Board Certified”
Not all boards carry the same weight, and this is where the terminology gets confusing. The ABMS-recognized American Board of Plastic Surgery requires years of accredited residency training and rigorous examinations. But other organizations, like the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, also certify surgeons. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not an ABMS member board. Its certification pathway requires a one-year cosmetic surgery fellowship and a minimum of 300 cosmetic procedures, on top of a residency in a related discipline.
This doesn’t necessarily mean a surgeon certified by a non-ABMS board is unqualified. But the training requirements differ significantly, and the term “board certified” alone doesn’t tell you which board issued the credential. A surgeon could advertise as “double board certified” while holding certifications from two boards you’ve never heard of. The critical detail is which boards are involved.
When evaluating a surgeon’s credentials, the distinction between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery also matters at a philosophical level. Plastic surgery training is rooted in reconstruction: repairing defects from birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. Cosmetic procedures are a portion of that training but not the sole focus. Cosmetic surgery training, by contrast, is entirely focused on enhancing appearance. A double board certified plastic surgeon who holds ABMS credentials has training that spans both reconstructive and aesthetic work.
Common Board Certification Combinations
- Plastic Surgery + General Surgery: The traditional independent training pathway. Surgeons complete a full general surgery residency before a plastic surgery residency, qualifying them for both boards.
- Plastic Surgery + Otolaryngology: Common among surgeons specializing in facial procedures. Their ENT training provides deep expertise in the anatomy of the face, head, and neck.
- Facial Plastic Surgery + Otolaryngology: Some surgeons hold certification from the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery alongside otolaryngology certification. This is a common pairing for surgeons focused exclusively on the face, though the facial plastic surgery board is not an ABMS member board.
- Plastic Surgery + Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Less common but found among surgeons who focus on craniofacial and jaw-related reconstruction.
How to Verify a Surgeon’s Credentials
You can check whether a surgeon holds ABMS-recognized board certification through CertificationMatters.org, the official public verification tool maintained by ABMS. Enter the surgeon’s name and state to confirm their certification status and which specific boards issued their credentials. If a surgeon claims to be double board certified, this tool will show you both certifications, their specialty areas, and whether each is current.
When consulting with a surgeon, ask specifically which boards certified them and whether those boards are ABMS members. A confident, well-credentialed surgeon will welcome the question. You can also check your state medical board’s website to confirm their medical license is active and free of disciplinary actions.