Monday, 23 December 2013

Cosmetic Surgeon: Responsibilities

Cosmetic Surgeon: Responsibilities

A cosmetic surgeon is a trained and educated medical professional who deals with plastic surgery for most of time, if not all the time. The educational attainment of this professional is usually four years in college in a premed course and then four more years in medical school, studying specific courses which are pertinent to the field he or she has chosen. There may be an additional two years to study the different specialties and subspecialties in plastic surgery. Before he or she is recognized by the state and given a certificate saying that the individual is qualified to perform an operation, this person must pass the board exam.

Consultation

One of the first responsibilities of a cosmetic surgeon is to consult with the patient regarding the possible operation. During this initial consultation, the doctor will explain to the patient what the operation is all about as well as cite some of the risks and complications that come with it. Some surgeons give a step by step explanation in order to be clear about the procedure. When things have been explained well and there is an understanding, the surgeon can also ask the patient to go through some tests to see how ideal he or she is for the operation. These tests reflect the state of the body and give the surgeon a view on how healthy the person is. If the patient is healthy and an ideal candidate for the procedure, and he or she will give a go signal, the doctor will schedule the operation and most likely give some recommendations about how to prepare for it.

During the Surgery

During this crucial period, the cosmetic surgeon is responsible for the health of the patent in the operating room. Even if the procedure is just a minor one, the doctor should monitor the vital signs of the patient regularly or assign someone to do so during the operation. Usually, they mark the areas where the incisions are to be made if there is a need for it. Making the incisions and closing these up are the doctor's areas of responsibilities.

Post Operation

After the cosmetic surgeon has ensured that the incisions are closed well and the patient is ready for the recovery room, he should still visit the patient when he or she has recovered consciousness. During this time, the doctor will ask how the patient is feeling and address the concerns of the individual. Prescriptions should be filled before the operation in order to prevent the hassle of going out post operation and buying them. It is not only the medication that should be bought early but also the other things that are needed such as ice packs, bandages and compression garments. Compression garments are used prevent swelling and to keep the stitches in place. Follow up visits are necessary and the cosmetic surgeon should require the patient to come a day or two after the operation in order to properly monitor the healing progress. Checkups may last as long as a couple of months.

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