• FRCS (Plast) MRCS MBChB (Hons) BSc (Hons)
• GMC: 6099098 (Since 2004)
• On the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery
• Full Member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS)
• Full Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd)
• Full Member of the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists (BAHNO)
• Registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

Collectively these mean that Mr Jones is fully registered by the GMC to practice plastic surgery as an independent Consultant. This can be verified on the GMC website. In order to be accredited, a surgeon must have demonstrated evidence of completion of training in plastic surgery and have passed the FRCS (Plast) examination organised by the Royal College of Surgeons. In training, the surgeon must have demonstrated safe practice across the broad range of plastic surgery procedures.

The FRCS (Plast) is an examination arranged by the four surgical Royal Colleges
(London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ireland) to test surgeons who have trained in plastic surgery and are approaching the end of their training.

In order to undertake the examination, the surgeon must have undertaken formal training in plastic surgery as part of a recognised training scheme or show training equivalent to this with clinical competence across a wide range of plastic surgery disciplines. They must have multiple referees to support their application and be deemed “ready” to commence work as a Consultant. The examination syllabus covers the entire plastic surgical curriculum in sections such as head and neck, breast, hand, trauma and burns. It also covers ethics, medicolegal topics and aesthetic surgery. The examination is known to be very challenging with face to face vivas being conducted by teams of experienced Consultant Plastic Surgeons.

The examination takes place over three days and comprises both written and oral components. Successful completion of this examination enables the surgeon to become a full member of the Royal College of Surgeons as a Plastic Surgeon. It is a requirement for a UK trained surgeon to possess this qualification of they are to be an independent practitioner recognised by the GMC.

The MRCS is another examination organised by the four Royal Colleges (London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ireland) to test surgeons who have trained in basic general surgery and are approaching the end of their early training. This is a much more general examination than the FRCS and includes a range of surgical specialties as well as plastic surgery, such as general surgery, ear nose and throat surgery, orthopaedic surgery and urological surgery. This examination also comprises written and oral components and on completion the surgeon can apply to become a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. All surgeons must pass this examination to be eligible for entry into higher surgical training such as Plastic Surgery.

This is one of two types of qualifaction that is awarded following successful completion of a medical degree at an established University. It stands for a Batchelor of Medicine and a Batchelor of Surgery. It takes five or six years to undertake an MBChB degree and completion allows the doctor to begin formal postgraduate medical training. The (Hons) component is awarded by some Universities for the top scoring students within the year group.

The BSc (Hons) is an undergraduate degree in a scientific area. It can be taken as a three or four year degree but may also be be incorporated into an MBChB degree taking a scientific “intercalated year” for further study.

To practice medicine or surgery in the UK, a doctor must be registered with the GMC or General Medical Council. Each doctor has their own GMC number. In order to practice in plastic surgery as an independent doctor such as a Consultant, the surgeon must also be on the GMC specialist register. As described above, to be entered onto this takes many years of training, at the end of which a certificate of completion of training is awarded. A doctors’ registration can be checked using the GMC website. To be entered on the specialist register, the surgeon must have provided evidence of training and competency in plastic surgery. They must have a logbook containing evidence of performing and assisting with a broad range of cases. They must also have passed the FRCS (Plast) examination. The evidence is assessed by a specialist panel who can award the CCT qualification.

BAPRAS is the UK plastic surgical association for Consultant Plastic Surgeons. It has many roles including promotion of safe plastic surgery to patients, doctors and the media. It organises many events and educational meetings both nationally and internationally. In order to become a full member a surgeon must usually be a Consultant Plastic Surgeon working in a recognised permanent post, have a CCT in Plastic surgery and be on the specialist register for plastic surgery. Supporting references from other Consultants must be submitted and assessed prior to membership being awarded.

To be a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons means that the doctor has completed training in a specialist area such as plastic surgery and is on the specialist register. To be a member of the Royal College of Surgeons means that the doctor has completed general or basic surgical training in a broad range of specialties.

BAHNO is an association that promotes education in the management of head and neck cancer. It is an association that brings together doctors and specialists from allied professions to help develop and support the progression of head and neck cancer care. To be a member does not provide evidence of any specific training, although full members are typically Consultant practitioners.

To find out more about this the following links are useful:

https://www.gmc-uk.org
https://www.bapras.org.uk
https://www.rcsed.ac.uk
https://bahno.org.uk