Patients are sometimes confused by various medical titles and what they represent. A fully trained and accredited surgeon in the specialty of plastic surgery is known as a specialist plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Most are Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) or have equivalent training and accreditation. This means the surgeon has completed five years of postgraduate plastic surgery education and training on top of their basic medical degree. In New Zealand, the Medical Council of New Zealand grants vocational registration to suitably trained plastic and reconstructive surgeons.
