Rhinoplasty at a lower cost from a med student?

Rhinoplasty prices vary greatly
because the rhinoplasty procedure itself encompasses a wide range of
techniques that can be performed to different extents.Therefore the cost
range is pretty wide from $6000-$12,000. My recommendation is to first
find qualified surgeons   that are board certified by the American Board
of Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Otolaryngology. Find one or
two surgeons you trust, then compare prices between them. Factors that
influence the price include:
1. Location - Will it be performed in a hospital with an overnight
stay, an independent out- patient facility or a doctors office?
2. Type of Anesthesia -  IV sedation or General Anesthesia? Will a
board certified anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist be used, or an
RN?
    
 
3. Experience and training of your surgeon. The best
trained (and longest) would be a surgeon board  certified by the
American Board of Plastic Surgery, but also consider American Board of
Otolaryngology trained surgeons
    
 4. Length and Complexity of
Surgery - Tip Rhinoplasty only or complete rhinoplasty, open or closed
technique, deviated septum repair,or breathing problems corrected, , how
long, ?etc

Dear margaret1998 in Boston, Massachusetts:
Your homework has shown you that it is possible to get a rhinoplasty with a lower cost when done by trainees.  These would not be medical students.  They would be apprentices of surgeons or residents or fellows who must serve a period of training before they are fully certified as specialists.  That training may be anywhere from 5 to 8 years.  There are some risks involved.  Common sense tells you that a surgeon in training does not have the experience and technical facility as a surgeon who has been in practice for 25 or more years.  Are you willing to accept the possibility that the results may be less optimal than if it were done by a fully qualified surgeon?  You cannot expect the same service from a novice as compared to an expert.  However, if your budget is dictating the decision, then when you go for consultation ask if one of the professors or teachers who should have many years of experience, will be there overseeing the work of the surgeon in training.  That is the key.  If the surgeon in training has a professor looking over his shoulder, the prospects for success and your happiness increase significantly. 

Best wishes,

Robert Kotler, MD, FACS 

Short answer - no.  As faculty at a Medical School, I sometimes get asked this question.  Medical students are not MDs yet.  As such, they are not licensed to practice medicine independently.  Therefore, they will not have privileges to perform procedures.  Some programs will run resident clinics, in which the resident performs the procedure under the supervision of the attending surgeon - which is what you may be referring to.Truth be told, this is a procedure that has results that should last you the rest of your life.  If you try to cut corners on a cosmetic procedure, you are more likely to require a revision surgery - which usually costs more.  Thus, spending less now may lead to you spending more later.My advice:  Get the rhinoplasty done by a board-certified facial plastic or general plastic surgeon and find a surgeon you are comfortable with.  In the long-run, you'll be happy you did.Dr. E