Key Takeaways
- “Board certified” is an American term. For a plastic surgeon in the United States, it usually means certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which requires accredited residency training and written and oral examinations.
- Australia doesn’t have a separate specialty board certification like the American system. Here, the credential that shows completed specialist training is specialist registration in plastic surgery, usually granted after accredited training and Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS).
- ANZBCPS certification, from the Australian and New Zealand Board of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, is a voluntary program announced in February 2025. It’s open only to specialist plastic surgeons and adds cosmetic-surgery-specific continuing education each year.
- ANZBCPS certification isn’t a registration, a legal requirement or the Medical Board’s cosmetic surgery endorsement.
- The first check for any surgeon is the public register at ahpra.gov.au. A certification listing is a secondary check.
If you’ve been researching cosmetic surgery, you’ve probably seen “board certified” on websites and social media, sometimes next to FRACS, specialist registration and society logos. It’s fair to ask what it means, because the term sounds official and works differently in Australia from the United States, where it comes from.
In this article I explain where the term comes from, what the equivalent is in Australia, what ANZBCPS certification involves, and how to check any surgeon’s credentials yourself.
I’m Dr Scott J Turner, a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS). I’m ANZBCPS certified and a member of the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons myself, so I’ve tried to set out what certification does and doesn’t tell you as plainly as I can.
Where “board certified” comes from
In the United States, a medical licence lets a doctor practise, and specialty boards certify that a doctor has met a specialty’s training and examination standards. The American Board of Plastic Surgery describes its certification as a voluntary, additional credential. It requires an accredited surgical residency, with at least three years devoted entirely to plastic surgery, followed by written and oral examinations. It’s a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties. A surgeon who passes is described as “board certified”.
Because so much cosmetic surgery information online is American, the phrase is now widely used in Australia too. It doesn’t map neatly onto the Australian system.
What the equivalent is in Australia
In Australia, specialist training is recognised through registration rather than a separate board certificate.
A specialist plastic surgeon has:
- completed accredited specialist training in plastic and reconstructive surgery, usually through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) program, which is accredited by the Australian Medical Council (surgeons trained overseas are assessed individually by RACS)
- been awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS)
- been granted specialist registration by the Medical Board of Australia in surgery, in the field of plastic surgery
That registration appears on the public register run by Ahpra (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), and it’s the credential that carries legal weight. Australian law also restricts who can use the title “surgeon”, including “cosmetic surgeon”. I explain those rules in cosmetic surgery rules in Australia.
So when someone asks whether a plastic surgeon in Australia is “board certified” in the American sense, the comparable question is whether they hold specialist registration in plastic surgery.
What ANZBCPS certification is
The Australian and New Zealand Board of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery (ANZBCPS) was set up by the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) and announced in February 2025. It runs a voluntary program for specialist plastic surgeons who practise cosmetic surgery. Surgeons who meet its criteria can describe themselves as “ANZBCPS Board Certified” and are listed at boardcertified.org.au.
To be certified, a surgeon must:
- hold FRACS after accredited plastic surgery training
- hold specialist registration in plastic surgery in Australia, or the equivalent in New Zealand
- be a member in good standing of ASAPS, the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) or the New Zealand Association of Plastic Surgeons (NZAPS)
- be involved in the practice of cosmetic surgery
- complete continuing professional development through RACS, plus cosmetic-surgery-specific education set by the board, each year
ANZBCPS is a professional body, not a regulator. It doesn’t register doctors or grant the right to practise.
What it adds, and what it doesn’t
Certification tells you that a surgeon is a specialist plastic surgeon who practises cosmetic surgery, belongs to one of the plastic surgery societies, and keeps up cosmetic-specific continuing education each year. That’s useful because it brings those checks together in one place.
It’s just as important to know its limits:
- It doesn’t add surgical training. Every certified surgeon already has specialist registration, and that’s where the training is recognised.
- It isn’t required. Not every specialist plastic surgeon takes part, and not being listed doesn’t mean a surgeon is less qualified.
- It doesn’t measure individual results. No credential tells you how often a surgeon does your operation, how they manage complications, or whether their approach suits you.
- It’s new. I’m not aware of any published evidence yet on whether certification is linked with patient outcomes.
Credentials and terms you might see
| Term | What it means, and whether it’s required |
|---|---|
| Specialist registration in plastic surgery | Completed accredited specialist training, granted by the Medical Board and shown on the Ahpra register. Not required to perform cosmetic surgery, but only doctors with specialist registration in surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, or ophthalmology can use the title “surgeon”. |
| FRACS | Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, awarded after its training. Not required, but it’s how specialist surgeons qualify. |
| Cosmetic surgery endorsement | A future Medical Board register notation for doctors who complete an approved cosmetic surgery program. Not required. As at October 2026, no programs of study had been approved, so it isn’t yet available. |
| ANZBCPS Board Certified | Voluntary certification for specialist plastic surgeons, with annual cosmetic-specific education. Not required. |
| ASAPS or ASPS member | Membership of a professional society for specialist plastic surgeons. Not required. |
| Accredited or licensed facility | Describes the hospital or day surgery, not the surgeon. Facilities are licensed by state and territory health departments and accredited by agencies approved by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Depends on the state or territory, and some require a licensed facility. The Medical Board’s own accredited-facility requirement has been deferred. |
How to check a surgeon’s credentials
You don’t need to take anyone’s word for this, including mine.
- Search the public register at ahpra.gov.au. Use the surgeon’s name or registration number, and check that they hold specialist registration in surgery with plastic surgery listed as the field. The register also shows any conditions on their registration.
- Look for registration details in their advertising. The Medical Board’s advertising guidelines for cosmetic surgery require doctors to state their registration number and type of registration, including specialty and field if they hold specialist registration. Professional memberships can be listed, but acronyms must not be used alone without explanation.
- If a surgeon says they’re ANZBCPS certified, check the listing at boardcertified.org.au.
- Ask about the operation itself. How often do they do it? How do they manage complications? What does recovery involve, and what are the limits of what it can change?
My choosing your surgeon guide has a fuller checklist. My registration number, MED0001654827, is shown on this page, so you can look me up on the register yourself, and you can contact the practice with any questions about my training.
Frequently asked questions
What does board certified mean for a plastic surgeon in Australia?
“Board certified” is an American term. For plastic surgeons it usually means certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, after accredited residency training and written and oral examinations. Australia doesn’t have a separate specialty board certification like the American system. Here, the credential that shows completed specialist training is specialist registration in plastic surgery, usually granted after accredited training and FRACS. In Australia, “ANZBCPS Board Certified” refers to a separate, voluntary certification for surgeons who already hold that registration.
Is FRACS the same as being board certified?
Not exactly, but it’s the comparable step. In Australia, plastic surgeons complete accredited specialist training through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, are awarded FRACS and are then granted specialist registration in plastic surgery. That process plays a similar role to American board certification, because it confirms specialist training and examination. Australia records it through registration on the public register rather than a separate board certificate.
Is ANZBCPS certification the same as the cosmetic surgery endorsement?
No. The endorsement is a register notation from the Medical Board of Australia for doctors who complete an approved cosmetic surgery program. The framework has applied since July 2023, but as at October 2026 no programs of study had been approved. ANZBCPS certification is run by a professional body, not the regulator, and is open only to surgeons who already hold specialist registration in plastic surgery.
Does a surgeon need to be board certified to perform cosmetic surgery?
No. ANZBCPS certification is voluntary, and not every specialist plastic surgeon takes part. Doctors who perform cosmetic surgery must meet the National Law and the Medical Board of Australia’s guidelines, and the facility must meet state or territory rules. What tells you more is a surgeon’s registration, their experience with your specific operation, and how they plan for and manage complications.
How do I check if a surgeon is board certified?
Check the surgeon’s specialist registration first on the public register at ahpra.gov.au, and confirm that plastic surgery is listed as their field. If they describe themselves as ANZBCPS Board Certified, you can confirm the listing at boardcertified.org.au. The register is the primary check, because it confirms the specialist training. The certification listing is a secondary, supporting check.
