How Many Surgeries Performed Before Considered a Skilled MOHS Surgeon?

asked 2 years ago by 4374anon in Florida
Latest answer by Larisa Ravitskiy, MD
Question viewed 390 times
Tags: qualifications, surgeon

Would you consider an intern who had almost completed their MOHS fellowship qualified to perform a surgery? Where can I find the name of plastic surgeons who also perform MOHS surgery and the repair?

7 answers to How Many Surgeries Performed Before Considered a Skilled MOHS Surgeon?

Adequate Training for Mohs surgery

By definition a fellow is an individual who has already completed an internship and residency and is completing additional training under the direction of a skilled and experienced Mohs surgeon. By the end of their fellowships, an individual should be quite proficient at performing Mohs surgery and reconstruction, but there may be some individual differences between doctors. Just as one plastic surgeons may be more skilled at performing a particular procedure (e.g. facelift) compared to... more

Andrew Kaufman, MD
Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon

www.dermatology-center.com

Mohs fellows

To be accepted into American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) fellowship, one must successfully complete medical or surgical internship (1 year), dermatology residency (3 years), and be either eligible to take Dermatology board exam or be board certified. That already gives the nascent surgeon some experience. Depending on the training program, toward the end of their training a fellow may perform close to 500 and, in many cases, up to 1000 cases in addition to... more

Larisa Ravitskiy, MD
Columbus Dermatologist

Well trained Mohs fellow are well qualified to do Mohs

While the individual experience of every fellowship program may vary, in general, Mohs surgeon who are near the end of their fellowship are well qualified to do Mohs surgery. Fellows trained under the American College of Mohs Surgery are board eligible dermatologist who have completed one internship year and three years of dermatology residency. They have chosen to spend an extra 1-2 years of advanced fellowship training specifically to hone their skills in Mohs surgery, skin... more

Margaret Mann, MD
Cleveland Dermatologic Surgeon

Mohs surgery

Experience is a complex thing. There are some people who do more procedures in training than some people who are out of practice..so just saying someone has been out of training for x number of years must be more experienced than someone who is not. I would see what each person's experience is. The Mohs website can give you a list of surgeons who do the procedure. Either than or your local dermatologist can direct you.

Chris Thiagarajah, MD
Washington DC Oculoplastic Surgeon

Mohs fellows performing Mohs

There may be many Mohs fellows who have almost finished their training but are not yet considered a graduate of their fellowship who have better training than some dermatologists who never went through a Mohs fellowship. Conversely, some dermatologists who learned Mohs surgery in their residency and have performed thousands of procedures in their dermatology practice might be more capable than some surgeons who graduate fellowship programs. Experience is important and you should get... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Mohs fellows should have a ton of cases late in the year

Most Mohs fellowships have their fellows do well over 1000 cases per year. This is obviously dependent upon the training program. Is he/she qualified to do your surgery at this point in time? Probably yes, but if you are that concerned, just go somewhere where there is not a training program. Most plastic surgeons do not do Mohs surgery (there are a few in the Mohs college). The reasoning is that they do not get the pathology training that dermatologists receive... more

Brent Spencer, MD
Frisco Dermatologic Surgeon

Qualified to do Mohs surgery

I would nor pesonally put myself in the hands of an intern unless there was absolutely nobody else to do it. Plastic surgeons don't do Mohs, dermatologists do it. Best to find a pair who work together regularly and have it done.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

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