The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery. Raising Standards Protecting Patients

Transcription

1 The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery Raising Standards Protecting Patients

2 The overriding aim of the College is easily summarised: Established in 1999, the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery (ACCS) is a not-for-profit, multi-disciplinary fellowship based body of general surgeons, cosmetic surgeons, plastic surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, dermatologists, ear nose and throat surgeons, ophthalmologists and other doctors and health care practitioners who practice in cosmetic medicine and surgery. The primary goal of the ACCS is to ensure the safe provision of cosmetic medicine and cosmetic surgical procedures to the Australian general community through the supply of appropriately trained and certified health care practitioners. The College also seeks to work cooperatively with government and other stakeholders to improve standards and safety and to educate health care consumers and its Fellows and spokespeople are regularly quoted in the media and consulted by federal and state health and consumer regulators. The ACCS is the only medical college which provides education and training leading to fellowship specifically in cosmetic medicine and surgery.

3 Dedicated to Excellence in Training Medical Practitioners, who wish to specialise in a particular field, obtain post graduate training from the learned Colleges. Cosmetic surgery and medicine has emerged as a new specialty and thus has not been a significant part of the training of any of the established Colleges. Indeed any doctor wishing to specialise in this field had no option but to acquire privately organised training on an apprenticeship basis. This training was not subject to any quality controls and varied greatly in its quality. Some doctors obtained adequate appropriate training and others did not. To fill this vacuum The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery was established in 1999 as a multi-disciplinary body consisting of general surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, ear nose and throat surgeons, ophthalmologists and other doctors who were already specialising in cosmetic surgery. It was the successor to the Australian Association of Cosmetic Surgery, which was formed in The College has a medical faculty which accredits cosmetic physicians and a surgical faculty which accredits cosmetic surgeons. The College believes that patients will be best served with cosmetic surgery and medicine being officially recognised as a new specialty. This will help to remove the confusion about the training and skills of different types of doctors offering cosmetic services. The college does not seek a monopoly in the provision of cosmetic surgical or medical services and is keen to work cooperatively with other craft groups to raise standards. The ACCS is though, the only group in Australia with a single focus on cosmetic surgery and medicine and is the only one which offers formal training and accreditation in cosmetic medicine and surgery.

4 Basic Training Applicants must be one of the following: An FRACS or equivalent surgical qualification. Five years post-graduate, including three years of accredited surgical training. Dermatologist with surgical experience. Ophthalmologist, ENT, Facio-Maxillary surgeon. Other by special consideration. Appropriate specific procedural training Appropriate specific procedural training Applicants must have at least one of the following: Appropriate two year fellowship from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Appropriate two year fellowship from the European Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. ACCS training course. Five years of procedural experience. A training course judged appropriate by the Credentialling Committee for an individual, taking into account the candidate's basic training and experience, eg FRACS plus specific liposuction course and a log of procedures.

5 Cosmetic Procedures Overview There are many procedures available to men and women considering cosmetic medical procedures. Ensuring you choose the right one for you is a decision you should make together with your Doctor. All Fellows of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery are specifically trained in cosmetic medicine and surgery and are required by the College to maintain their skills through a Continuing Professional Development program.

6 CME and Professional Development This consists of those educational activities undertaken after qualifying as a Fellow / Member of the College which serve to increase, maintain and develop the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective and safe patient care. Membership Categories Fellow Associate Member Affiliate Member Affiliate Member (Diploma of Cosmetic Medicine) Nurse Affiliate Members

7 Contact PO Box 36, Parramatta NSW (Australia Wide) (International) admin@accs.org.au