Are doctors still doing pro bono work? If so, under what circumstances?

Not many doctors do pro bono work for aesthetic surgery.  In order for us to provide great care in a safe environment, there are costs for our staff, our licenses, our facilities, and our supplies (as a patient, you're helping to pay for all of that, it's not just "the surgery").  There are some surgeons who will occasionally do "pro bono" work, but that's often because they expect to "make up the cost" elsewhere from patient referrals or public relations/marketing.  You can always try to reach out to doctors and see what they say, but you will probably need to provide a convincing reason for them to do it on you (vs. the hundreds of other patients that have a very similar story to yours).  I hope that's helpful.

Many of us (including myself) do pro bono work for medically necessary surgeries (cleft lips, clef palate, burns, cancer reconstruction work for those who can't afford it), but few surgeons to pro bono cosmetic surgery, since it costs real money for surgeons to stay in practice, and most cannot afford to give away the house.  You might be able to get reductions in the costs if you reach out to a training program in your town (but you will likely not have the most experienced folks working on you).

Most surgeons do not do pro bono work for elective cosmetic procedures since there are still many costs that must be paid--anesthesia, supplies, nurses' time, OR fees, etc. However, you may be able to find reduced rates at plastic surgery training programs. There are many university training programs throughout the US, and most do offer reduced rates for surgery performed by the residents. In most programs, these residents have already completed general surgery training and are fairly skilled, plus they are supervised by board certified plastic surgeons.

Unfortunately liposuction cannot be offered pro bono as they doctor needs to engage several people, nurses, assistants to ensure your safety and optimal outcomes. Several doctors offer sliding scales however and there are offers throughout the year so liposuction so do some research in your area and you might find something thats right for your budget. Regarding your tummy- you can also try non invasive treatments, they are cheaper and might do the trick for you

Pro bono surgery is not often performed for routine cosmetic surgery. Another option you may want to consider is a resident clinic at a local plastic surgery training program. Here residents who are close to graduating perform cosmetic surgery at reduced prices. The biggest risk is that these doctors often do not have lots of experience, so there is a bit of a gamble versus paying the big bucks for a board certified plastic surgeon who has a lot of experience. Good luck!

Plastic surgeons often perform pro bono work for reconstructive surgeries (eg cleft lip/palate, etc), however I have never heard of a cosmetic surgery procedure being done pro bono.  There are certainly financing plans that many practices offer that even have interest free periods and monthly payments.