AllBodySurgery.com - are there any plastic surgeons out there to answer a few questions?

are there any plastic surgeons out there to answer a few questions?

Please don't answer these questions unless you are in the know. I want to go into plastic surgery eventually. I live in Florida, I'm 24. I go to UCF and I am a biology major, sophomore....I know this is a VERY competitive industry to get into...what can I do to help myself? I already volunteer at a hospital (also march of dimes) and have for years, is there any other volunteer work that will help me? Do you have any suggestions for the MCAT? UCF is opening a new school of medicine, should I stick with already established med schools and try for miami or shands? What is the best major to pick as an undergrad to support the learning process later? How do you get started once you are done with your residencies? What other advice can you give me?

Public Comments

The medical school you get into won't matter too much unless you get into Harvard, Yale, etc. Just do well so you have a good shot at getting into a good residency. Becoming a plastic surgeon is all about getting the residency. You will start out in a general surgery residency then move into plastic surgery. I am not sure if you what kind of internship or PGY-1 year you will do. I would find a plastic surgeon where you are at now and talk to them in person about getting into medical school. Even more important than volunteer work is shadowing a doctor. Shadow a plastic surgeon while you are at it. After you get into medical school, befriend a couple of plastic surgeons associated with your school or who work at the hospitals you do your training at. Ask their advice on getting your residency training. While you are doing all this, try to go to plastic surgeons that belong to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons with the circular logo you see at this web site... http://www.plasticsurgery.org/ They hold their standards above what is needed for board certification.
Your undergraduate major doesn't matter. You might do well to take courses related to art - cosmetic surgeons need to know aesthetics. Stick with your volunteering. Commitment to a project means something - don't jump from one thing to another without good reason. As for the MCAT - study, study, study. Practice, and practice some more. Know your stuff. While you are in college, learn to assimilate HUGE amounts of information in a short time. That's what medical school is like. It wouldn't hurt to take undergrad anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and genetics. Then you'll have a foundation for learning it in depth in med school. To be a plastic surgeon, you will do a general surgery residency first (5-7 years). That's when you want to get to know some plastic surgeons. I'd do a residency in a major teaching hospital, not a community hospital with a surgery residency. As a resident, try to do rotations in other hospitals (if your program supports that) to meet more plastics folks. Join plastic surgery societies and attend their meetings. Once you are in a fellowship, you can start thinking about how to go into practice. Many new graduates join an established practice until they pass their boards. It helps to have somebody with a little more experience there to bounce things off of. Eventually, you may want to open an independent practice. There is nothing like being your own boss! Good luck to you. It looks like you are on the right track!
I've been in practice for 10 years. You are a little older for an undergrad so I assume you have not gone through a straight 4 year undergrad program. You are allowed to visit the admissions office of most medical schools as long as you don't have an active application on file and their admissions people will give you advice. If you are going to medical school and are interested in plastic surgery make sure the school has an active plastic surgical residency (many don't). The best thing to do for MCATS is to take Stanley Kaplan. Period. End of story on them. As far as work in college the single best thing you can do is scientific research and if it relates to plastic surgery all the better. Go to the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundatio (PSEF) website for guidance. Get into the best Med SCh you can. It always helps. UofM and Gainesville are quite good and have active Plastic Surgical resiencies. Once you are done there are many career paths e.g academics, group practice, solo practice. Hope this helps. Also the residency has changed and around half the spots are filled coming out of med school not after residency in Gen Surg