Dr. David Feldmar
The combination of exceptional surgical results and thousands of ecstatic patients demonstrate Dr. Feldmar’s surgical precision and diligent attention to detail. Dr. Feldmar’s surgical expertise and charismatic calming demeanor allow his patients to achieve their personal aesthetic goals in a caring and relaxing environment while achieving the highest level of results.
Everything You Need to Know about Dr. Feldmar
Dr. David Feldmar is a renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specializes in the art of aesthetic plastic surgery. Dr. Feldmar is double board certified in surgery by the American Board of Surgery and in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Feldmar, a Native of Los Angeles, studied Neuroscience, Biology, and Physiology at UC Davis then completed medical school at the prestigious Chicago Medical School.
Dr. Feldmar completed his internship and residency in general surgery at the world-renowned Cedar Sinai Medical Center where he became Chief Resident. After completing his general surgery training, Dr. Feldmar pursued his interests by completing a residency in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where he then became Chief Resident. Dr. Feldmar has worked with the top surgeons and is a driving force within.
Dr. Feldmar is a member of the following Organizations:
- American Board of Plastic Surgery
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Fellow American College of Surgeons
- American Medical Association
- California Medical Association
- Certified- American Board of Physician Specialist
Hospital and Surgery Center Affiliations:
- Swall Surgery Center in Beverly Hills
- Cedars Sinai Medical Center
- Cedars Sinai Marina Del Ray Hospital
- Olympia Medical Center
- Southern California Hospital at Culver City
- Southern California Hospital at Hollywood
American Board of Plastic Surgery
The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the gold standard for certification in plastic surgery. While there are a lot of “boards” out there, the ABPS is the only plastic surgery board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The ABMS has been operating for 80 years, and is a non-profit organization committed to ensuring that patients receive top quality care in their 24 recognized medical boards by means of developing and instituting uncompromising professional standards.
The American Board of Medical Specialties certifies medical boards such as the American Board of Pediatrics, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and so forth.
Requirements for ABPS Certification
To become certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a surgeon must graduate from an accredited medical school. He or she must have completed at least five years of additional training as a resident surgeon in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This five-year minimum period includes at least two years devoted entirely to plastic surgery.
What About the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery?
The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. They do not have the same stringent standards that are required by the ABPS, and they are not overseen by the American Board of Medical Specialties. The ABCS is a self-governing board.
Training requirements for ABCS “certification” are quite different from that of the ABPS. For example, if a dermatologist (yes, a SKIN doctor) takes ONE year of training general surgery, and one year of training in breast and “extremity” surgery, he or she can be “certified” by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. The ABPS requires at LEAST five years of surgical training with three in general surgery, and at least two in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Plastic Surgery versus Cosmetic Surgery
It is quite easy to be confused by these two phrases. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery’s website states that, “There are currently no residency programs in the United States devoted exclusively to cosmetic surgery.” This can be very misleading, as it is easy for someone to assume that plastic surgeons only do “repair” work and “reconstructive” work, and that one must be a “cosmetic” surgeon in order to do any cosmetic work. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the American Board of Medical Specialties, which oversees the 24 major medical boards, including the only recognized plastic surgery board (the ABPS), states:
“A Plastic Surgeon deals with the repair, reconstruction or replacement of physical defects of form or function involving the skin, musculoskeletal system, craniomaxillofacial structures, hand, extremities, breast and trunk and external genitalia or cosmetic enhancement of these areas of the body. Cosmetic surgery is an essential component of plastic surgery. The Plastic Surgeon uses cosmetic surgical principles to both improve overall appearance and to optimize the outcome of reconstructive procedures.”
MD’s and DO’s
MD stands for Medical Doctor. DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathy.
Both MDs and DOs can become certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Board-Eligibility
Board-eligibility means that a doctor has completed his approved residency, but has not yet taken his or her exams with the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Up until January 2012, the term “board-eligible” was not even recognized by the ABPS, or any other board overseen by the American Board of Medical Specialties. However, the ABMS introduced a new policy that now allows surgeons to advertise as board-eligible. This new policy does have guidelines so that surgeons cannot abuse the term “board-eligible” by indefinitely advertising as such. Each specialty board has certain time limits during which they can advertise as board-eligible. For plastic surgoens, that time limit is 7 years. Put simply, they must get certified by the ABPS within 7 years, or else they have to start the process (including the waiting period) all over again. Any physician advertising as board-eligible beyond the established time limits will be sanctioned by the ABMS.
