Can I request that a fellow, medical student, or other individuals in training not be present during an operation?

Yes, in particular if your surgery is done outside of teaching hospital and you are private patient. Not sure that you can request that in a teaching facility; best to discuss with your surgeon. Why you are so concerned about it?

Yes- rhinoplasty is one of the most challenging procedures that requires years to train and to achieve experience to perform. Residents and fellows are part of the training process and learn from experience and observation. I would ask your rhinoplasty surgeon this question to see their routine; indeed, though, typically there are assistants that may be present to aid in the procedure, even though the attending surgeon is the one performing the procedure..

Rhinoplasty requires exceptional skill on behalf of the surgeon and great communication with the patient about realistic goals and expectations. Common cosmetic concerns include a dorsal hump, wide nose, sunken nose, irregularities, and asymmetries. Functional concerns include difficulty breathing through the nose, which can and should be addressed at the same time as your rhinoplasty.

In your situation, yes you can request that only the surgeon be present however, some surgeons will not accept those terms. Your best bet is to go to someone in a private practice.

Make sure to seek out the care of a board certified surgeon with extensive experience in rhinoplasty. Find someone you connect with, who will listen to your concerns and provide you with a framework for what is possible.

Gary Linkov, MD
Rhinoplasty Specialist
Manhattan

Sure you can request that. But most likely the surgeon will say they will be there just to watch and not do any of the surgery. Rhinoplasties in teaching hospitals are rarely passed off to residents, which I sense is your real fear.

Certainly it is your right to request that residents and medical students not be involved in your aesthetic surgical procedure. Aesthetic surgery, especially rhinoplasty, is difficult for trainees to learn because while residents may assist and observe many of these procedures; they usually do not perform the surgery as you believe and may have been told. For those surgeons strongly motivated to train the next generation of plastic surgeons, (including myself), I would encourage you to have a frank discussion with your surgeon and not insist on their exclusion but rather include yourself in the very important training process and share your motivation, desires and expectations with these doctors so that you can help educate them by explaining your fears, anxieties and expectations related to the procedure. My patients continue to teach me important lessons even after 28 years of practice. While I understand your concerns, please don't deny them your very valuable input to their training.

You can request that trainees not be involved in your surgery, and your surgeon can choose to honor that request or not. Generally, at teaching institutions, residents and fellows help with procedures. At private practices, residents and fellows would normally just observe or assist by holding retractors or whatnot.

When performing a primary rhinoplasty in a private practice setting, the surgeon whom you are seeing is usually performing all of the surgery. It's always best to ask that question with your operative surgeon. Medical students are not allowed to operate on patients in private practice, and resident physicians are usually present in a hospital training institution. Fellows have already finished their Plastic surgery residency and sometimes assist with surgery since they're very experienced.

Yes you can request not residents, fellows or student be present in your operation. But the anestheilogist and circulating nurse abs scrub nurse must be in attendance to assist your surgeon