STEPS TO FINDING THE RIGHT COSMETIC 
PLASTIC  SURGEON 

Check Board Certification:

When you are considering cosmetic plastic surgery, you want the skills of a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.  In Virginia, a licensed physician may perform plastic surgery without being board-certified in plastic surgery.  A doctor’s  board-certification does not mean he or she is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery(ABPS).  The ABPS is the only one of twenty-four boards approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties that certifies physicians in plastic surgery of the face and all areas of the body.

    Other types of physicians do offer related services such as the Dermatologist (diseases of the skin), Ophthalmologist (eye testing and treatment), Otolaryngologist (diseases of the neck, nose, ear and throat) but their training is not as specific to plastic surgery as that of a Board Certified plastic surgeon.

       To be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a physician must meet the following rigid requirements:

      Graduated from an accredited medical school;

      Dr. Bounds graduated from the University of Virginia Medical School after finishing college at Duke University.

      Completed at least five years of surgical residency training, usually three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery;

       Dr. Bounds spent seven years in surgical residency training, five of those years were in general surgery and two years were in plastic surgery.

      Pass comprehensive oral and written exams;

     Dr. Bounds completed both oral and written exams in plastic surgery for his Board Certification as required. 
  

Check Membership in both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and for evidence of significant experience in cosmetic surgery, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons;

Both of these organizations require a member be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery with the training required by this certification.  These organizations also require their plastic surgeon members fulfill continuing medical education requirements, including standards and innovations in patient safety, and adhere to a strict code of ethics. Finally, both organizations require members to perform surgery only in accredited medical facilities. 

Check Facility Accreditation:

Cosmetic surgery can be safely performed in a hospital, ambulatory surgery center or office based surgical facility.  Current office based facilities have a safety record comparable to that of a hospital or ambulatory surgery center when properly accredited.  Plastic Surgery of Virginia Beach has a full operating suite which is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF) with anesthesia provided and monitored by a second physician, a licensed anesthesiologist. 

Check Hospital Privileges:

Before granting operating privileges, hospital review committees evaluate a surgeon’s training and competency for specific procedures. Wherever the surgery will be performed, be sure that your surgeon has operating privileges in an accredited hospital for the same procedure being considered.  Dr. Kevin Bounds has active and admitting privileges for all cosmetic surgery procedures at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and the Virginia Beach Ambulatory Surgery Center. 

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