8 Secrets to a Successful Career as a Plastic Surgeon

When you decide to become a plastic surgeon, you may have many reasons to make that choice. According to IBISWorld, there are over 85,000 plastic surgeons in the U.S. Many successful plastic surgeons have been asked what makes a plastic surgeon successful. Their responses share some of the secrets to lasting success in this industry.

1. A Sense of Compassion

Plastic surgery involves changing a person’s appearance. A compassionate plastic surgeon can empathize with clients enough to help them achieve their goals. An example might be those who seek plastic surgery after an injury or illness at work – such as the approximately 40,000 injuries and illnesses reported each year to the Kansas Division of Workers’ Compensation annually.

2. A Skill With Your Hands

Because it involves cutting into someone’s skin with permanent results, a plastic surgeon must have excellent surgical skills. While surgical techniques can be taught, manual dexterity is a talent. You must augment your anatomical knowledge with the ability to put that knowledge into action. It takes doctors many years for their basic training, and after that, you must hone your skills to bring about the requested transformations.

3. A Listening Heart

When clients come into a plastic surgeon’s office, they already visualize what they’ll look like. They may want to achieve something as basic as “looking better in the pool.” After all, according to Statista, over 17% of Americans aged 18 to 29 have a pool, hot tub, or spa. You must work with your clients to explain how close to their visions you can come.

4. A Chain of Mentoring

In addition to training, a successful doctor can benefit from a mentor relationship. Mentors model more than techniques; they can show newer plastic surgeons how to meet administrative challenges. As a plastic surgeon’s career progresses, they can then select a new plastic surgeon to whom they can provide mentoring. The process of mentoring offers emotional benefits for both doctors.

5. A Commitment to Excellence

A goal to be an excellent doctor is an easy ambition to form. It will mean keeping that ambition foremost in your mind. To meet that ambition, you must keep up with the latest surgical techniques and advances. They should seek out any available training programs which can improve their skills.

6. A Prioritized Patient Experience

When you work as a plastic surgeon, remember that your patients will count the entire visit experience and the time they spend with you. Even if the result of their surgery is excellent, if your clients have challenges with the rest of your team, the overall impression of their plastic surgery experience will not be a positive one. Work together with your team and plan for a professional approach to customer service, so your business can provide an excellent patient experience.

7. A Spark of Creativity

Although plastic surgery is medicine, and medicine is based on science, plastic surgery is a form of artistry. When a client’s wishes are outside conventional skills, sometimes it takes an out-of-the-box solution. Keeping your mind open and allowing yourself to look for a unique solution may help you find the answer to your dilemma.

8. A Sense of Humility

Doctors – especially surgeons – sometimes get a reputation for being arrogant or taking themselves too seriously. Knowing your limitations – even while allowing for those bursts of creativity – will help you approach each patient with a sense of shared humanity. By balancing your commitment to excellence with your desire for humility, you can approach your profession with your best efforts.

Plastic surgery is a profession that requires all the qualities above and more. It can change the lives of your patients in ways that can solidify their identities. It can also earn you a good living. Becoming a successful plastic surgeon will require an extensive commitment from you, but the effort you put out there can return to you increasing career satisfaction.