Oculoplastics to Facial Plastics

[modemduck]

Hey I was just wondering if after doing an oculplastic fellowship if you can learn more facial procedures like malar augmentation/rhinoplasty/facial liposuction/etc. I mean you are already trained as a surgeon so you should have a skill set strong enough to learn how to do a few other procedures... (or am i totally off?).

thanks in advance for replies,
ra

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[Andrew_Doan]

Depends on who you train with and what they do during those 2 years. Some oculoplastics surgeons know how to do more, some do less.

 

[Visioncam]

If modemduck is a medical student (P&S 2006?) and wants to do facial cosmetic surgery, then she/he should NOT do ophthalmology. Do plastics or ENT and a facial plastics fellowship.

If you really like lacrimal or orbital stuff, you could do the above and then either do
1. ophthalmology in a place with strong oculoplastics exposure (and skip the formal oculoplastics fellowship)
2. ophthalmology + oculoplastics
3. try to get an oculoplastics fellowship without ophthalmology (might be possible but a high risk of accomplishing plan). Of course, then you could try 1 or 2.

The only medical students who should try to do ophthalmology + oculoplastics are those who want to do orbital, lacrimal, and functional lid problems, not those who want to do cosmetic stuff. The cosmetic goal via ophthalmology is an uphill battle.

 

[modemduck]

If modemduck is a medical student (P&S 2006?) and wants to do facial cosmetic surgery, then she/he should NOT do ophthalmology. Do plastics or ENT and a facial plastics fellowship.

If you really like lacrimal or orbital stuff, you could do the above and then either do
1. ophthalmology in a place with strong oculoplastics exposure (and skip the formal oculoplastics fellowship)
2. ophthalmology + oculoplastics
3. try to get an oculoplastics fellowship without ophthalmology (might be possible but a high risk of accomplishing plan). Of course, then you could try 1 or 2.

The only medical students who should try to do ophthalmology + oculoplastics are those who want to do orbital, lacrimal, and functional lid problems, not those who want to do cosmetic stuff. The cosmetic goal via ophthalmology is an uphill battle.

Thanks Visioncam,
I am a 3rd yr med student at columbia in nyc and still kinda unsure what i want to go into. I really love ophtho and am trying to get the doris duke for next year to do research... I was wondering about facial plastics b/c it seems pretty cool as an option for expanding my skill set later on. However, a strict choice between eye surgery and ent->facial plastics is no competition; ophtho is the clear winner. I also love the fact that ophtho has so many cool fellowships like peds, neuro, and retina.

Visioncam are you currently a resident?
What are some programs with strong plastics training?

Thanx,
ra

 

[mdkurt]

Hey I was just wondering if after doing an oculplastic fellowship if you can learn more facial procedures like malar augmentation/rhinoplasty/facial liposuction/etc. I mean you are already trained as a surgeon so you should have a skill set strong enough to learn how to do a few other procedures... (or am i totally off?).

thanks in advance for replies,
ra

A lot of oculoplastics fellowships combine general plastics as well, but if you really want to make this part of your career it would be advisable to do additional training after your oculoplastics fellowship.

 

[modemduck]

A lot of oculoplastics fellowships combine general plastics as well, but if you really want to make this part of your career it would be advisable to do additional training after your oculoplastics fellowship.

What is the basis of assessment for acceptance to oculoplastics fellowship? ie: OKAP, prestige of ophtho residency, research, personal connections...

Also what percentage of applicants get in? I have heard retina is the most competitive and about 65% of applicants get it...

- ra