What are the pros and cons of being a plastic surgeon?

Question

What are the pros and cons of being a plastic surgeon?

Answer 1

Let's look at the cons first. You'll wind up doing an awful lot of education and training--four years to the bachelor's degree, then three years of med school and a couple more years of internship/residency before qualifying as a general practitioner--then a couple more years of postgrad med school and another internship followed by boards to be a fully accredited plastic surgeon. Contemporary medical practice in the USA can be full of hassles; insurance companies that you have to fight with so they don't rip off you and the patient, high liability insurance premiums (lawsuits against plastic surgeons are some of the messiest), and whatever usual difficulties arise with running a practice.

Then the pros--as a plastic surgeon, you won't routinely be called in to emergencies at 3 in the morning like the orthopedists or neurosurgeons--you pretty much can set your own hours, contingent only on your hospital's OR scheduling. If you do primarily elective work ("enhancements" rather than "reconstructions") then you'll have relatively fewer insurance hassles than other physicians. You'll make GOOD money.

hope this helps ^_^