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Would you feel confident having a chief resident perform your Rhinoplasty?

asked 11 months ago by loveandpeace in Boston, MA
Latest answer by Srdjan Ostric, MD
Question viewed 390 times
Tags: choosing a surgeon

I had a consultation with a chief resident, who would work closely with an attending MD who has practiced for over 30 years. The procedure will cost half as much as other doctors I have seen, but I am nervous because the resident has only done about 25 rhinoplasties. Has anyone had successful surgeries with residents?

14 answers to Would you feel confident having a chief resident perform your Rhinoplasty?

Don't settle for inexperience with rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is the most difficult plastic surgery procedure to master, and requires years of experience. The nose is also the least forgiving to make corrections, should you end up with a bad job. You don't want to find yourself in a position where you have saved a little money and wish you had never done the surgery. Corrective surgery is likely to be more than the initial surgery. It is also unlikely that any resident has done 25 rhinoplasties. This is probably an exaggeration... more

John Alexander II, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Experience and expertise is worth it in rhinoplasty; choose wisely the first time

I have respect for residents and training programs, but I would not personally advise it. Remember that the "Worth It" percentage here at RealSelf is only 75%--lower than for many other procedures. That number reflects the difficulty of the procedure--even for experienced practitioners (though not necessarily rhinoplasty experts). Two thirds of the rhinoplasties I do are on patients who have already had one or more procedures--that alone distinguishes... more

Mark B. Constantian, MD
Nashua Plastic Surgeon

Cost rhinoplasty and Residents

Hey, you get what you pay for sometimes, but then again, you might have a talented resident. You need to find out what is going to be done, and what kind of supervision is available. Is the attending going to be there or be available? Though things can be expensive and not any good, it is more often the opposite that is true.

Srdjan Ostric, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Qualified nasal surgeon

LoveandPeace, We were all chief residents once. Most would agree that our skills improve with each nasal surgery performed. Some residents are very talented. Valid questions for any surgeon include: How many of these surgeries have you performed? Have you operated on noses similar to mine? What are the risks and possible complications? How long do you plan to follow me post operatively? If there is a short term or long term problem, what are my options? ... more

Donn R. Chatham, MD
Louisville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty is all about experience

I have performed Rhinoplasty for over 20 years and performed 100 as a resident, more than that as a fellow and many more than that in the corresponding 20 + years of private practice. Rhinoplasty, as i have taught it to residents and fellows, is all about experience which is only gained through performing the surgery. It takes hundreds, if not thousands, IMHO to become an expert. I'm afraid, you get what you pay for. You should consult with the most... more

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Depends on your expectations

Although a resident can make your nose look better than it does now they most likely will not give you the best result possible. Typically about 1000 rhinoplasty procedures and 10 years of rhinoplasty are needed to achieve a basic level of expertise

Sam Naficy, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Outcomes are less predictable with residents performing rhinoplasty

When deciding to undergo rhinoplasty surgery through a resident clinic, you take a chance not only on the inexperience of residents, but also on the attending who is going to oversee your surgery. 33 years of practice are meaningless if the assigned attending performs occasional rhinoplasty surgery in his/her practice. I agree with the other comments, go with experienced surgeons, cheap rhinoplasty may end up costing you a lot more if you have to undergo revision surgery. Grigoriy... more

Grigoriy Mashkevich, MD
Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

Resident cosmetic surgery

All of us on RS were resident surgeons at one time. Eager, young, smart and well-intentioned. But ask anybodty here if they are the same surgeon after 20 years of practice and they will 100% say "No!" The experience of practice, following your own results, modifying the techniques you were taught is impossible for the resident to match. It is your only shot at a great result the first time, so don't go to a discount environment if at all possible. more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Cheap rhinoplasty

I know of residents who are excellent surgeons, and older surgeons who make me nervous. In general, rhinoplasty is both a technical and artistic challenge that demands much of your surgeon's ability, experience, and knowledge. Do not make your choice based on price. A good rhinoplasty will be expensive, a cheap rhinoplasty will cost more.

Randy Wong, MD
Honolulu Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty and residents

Part of resident education is performing cases through the clinic. This is a benefit to the patient who may not be able to afford the private attending surgeon and also benefits the resident by allowing that resident to get more experience. The attending who oversees the procedure "takes the resident through the surgery," but the resident is doing the operation.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Would You Trust a Chief Resident Who Practiced 6 Years General Surgery to Perform Your Rhinoplasty?

I know the chief resident wants as much practice as possible but with the kind of nose you have, even some surgeons with years of experience unable to get a good result. You will need someone with experience in your type of nose.

Mohsen Tavoussi, MD, DO
Huntington Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon

Resident clinics for rhinoplasty

There is certainly a significant cost savings for cosmetic surgery performed by residents or plastic surgeons in training, however you have to remind yourself that the money you save is the cost of experience and consistency in results. After your procedure the resident will move on in training and you will again be on your own if the results do not meet your expectation. Also you have to understand what 'work closely' with an experienced surgeon implies. Will they insure your safety... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Resident for rhinoplasty

This is a difficult question. Alot depends on the qualifications of the attending physician. Experience counts for the correct diagnosis and the correct well performed surgery. Rhinoplasty is the most difficult cosmetic surgery.

David A. Bray, Sr., MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Would You Trust a Chief Resident Who Practiced 6 Years General Surgery to Perform Your Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty is a challenging procedure. Your chances of having a great result depend on the experience of the person doing your surgery. By experience, I do not mean yrs in practice but numbers performed. I would rather have someone that has done 100's of surgeries in , say 10 years, rather than someone that has been in practice for say 30 years and they do not specialize in this procedure. Saving money can seem very appealing at the beginning, but being dissatisfied with your... more