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Plastic surgeon skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Erica Sutton,

Rebecca Moellmer DPM, FACFAS, FAAPSM, DABPM

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical plastic surgeon skills. We ranked the top skills for plastic surgeons based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 55.0% of plastic surgeon resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a plastic surgeon needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 plastic surgeon skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how plastic surgeons use patients:

Provide exceptional customer service to patients.
Preferred technician for office surgeries, superior knowledge and skill with instrumentation and procedures continually lauded by both surgeon and patients.

2. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how plastic surgeons use patient care:

Assisted Dr. Busch, as well as the team in ensuring optimal patient care.
Performed patient care as a medical doctor

3. Hand Surgery

Here's how plastic surgeons use hand surgery:

Specialized in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, microsurgery and hand surgery.

4. Private Practice

Private practice refers to a business operated by professionals such as doctors or lawyers neither controlled nor paid by the government.

Here's how plastic surgeons use private practice:

Front Desk Coordinator * Assisted Dr. with starting private practice.
Staff veterinary surgeon in a large volume private practice.

5. Medical Procedures

Here's how plastic surgeons use medical procedures:

Prepare rooms for medical procedures.
Work closely with OB/GYN doctors during physical examinations and medical procedures.

6. Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures include the list of tasks that are done while doing surgery. Usually, a surgical procedure involves an incision with instruments, performed to repair damage or heal the disease in a living body. Surgical procedures are performed by trained individuals such as surgeons, doctors, and nurses.

Here's how plastic surgeons use surgical procedures:

Scheduled and coordinated surgical procedures with doctor, anesthesia group and nursing staff for both in-house and hospital-based surgeries.
Assisted physician with all surgical procedures in hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and the office surgical suite.

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7. Cosmetic Surgery

Here's how plastic surgeons use cosmetic surgery:

Major reconstructive, breast reconstructive, hand, microsurgery and cosmetic surgery.

8. Scheduling Appointments

Scheduling appointments is the practice of finding a free slot with the person(s) you want to meet. The process of scheduling appointments involves finding mutually free time, negotiating follow-ups, sending reminders, and creating new appointments. Scheduling appointments is important to ensure that the timings of consecutive meetings do not clash with each other.

Here's how plastic surgeons use scheduling appointments:

Provide excellent customer service including problem solving, timely follow up, assisting in answering phones and scheduling appointments.
Elbow to elbow support on patient registration & scheduling appointments.

9. Pediatrics

Pediatrics is that branch of medicine that deals specifically with the well-being and health matters relating to infants, children, and teenagers entering into adulthood. People under the age of 18 are recommended to be under the care of a pediatrician instead of a normal doctor. However, this age limit is subject to vary in different countries. A professional of this medical branch is known as a pediatrician.

Here's how plastic surgeons use pediatrics:

Served as an assistant surgeon in the department of Pediatrics and Surgery, including the emergency unit.
Worked in various departments of the hospital like general medicine, surgery, pediatrics etc.

10. In-Office Procedures

Here's how plastic surgeons use in-office procedures:

Witnessed minor in-office procedures involving hip, knee, ankle, and elbow joints
Assisted with castings and other minor in-office procedures.

11. Cosmetic Procedures

Here's how plastic surgeons use cosmetic procedures:

Performed wide variety of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures.
Work closely with physician in cross selling aesthetic and physician cosmetic procedures.

12. Pre-op

Here's how plastic surgeons use pre-op:

Print Pre-op and Post-op photographs.
Restock operating rooms, pre-op rooms, and post-op rooms.

13. Post-Operative Care

Here's how plastic surgeons use post-operative care:

Participated in all aspects of surgical care, including the immediate post-operative care.
Provided pre- and post-operative care.

14. Exam Rooms

An exam room in a hospital is a place where patients are examined by medical representatives. In several cases, the exam room distinguishes the doctor-patient relationship and is a critical component of the overall care process.

Here's how plastic surgeons use exam rooms:

Light cleaning of back office and exam room.
Managed supplies for 6 exam rooms, 2 surgery suites and 2 cosmetic procedure rooms.

15. Front Desk

Here's how plastic surgeons use front desk:

Performed front desk/reception tasks, filing, answering the telephone, and scheduling.
Provide training to all office staff on patient software and front desk procedures, including the Medi Spa.

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What skills help Plastic Surgeons find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on plastic surgeon resumes?

Erica Sutton

Associate Dean, Morehouse School of Medicine

A desire to serve others greatly stands out this year.

What plastic surgeon skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Rebecca Moellmer DPM, FACFAS, FAAPSM, DABPM

Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs and Faculty Affairs, Associate Professor, Western University of Health Sciences

When first starting out, regardless of your hard work and salary, live modestly and invest - find an investor you trust. Again, take every opportunity that comes your way. You'll meet new people and find new skills and interests. It is also important to take the path to board certification which opens more doors.

Do you want to know more?

List of plastic surgeon skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a plastic surgeon resume and required skills for a plastic surgeon to have include:

Patients
Patient Care
Hand Surgery
Private Practice
Medical Procedures
Surgical Procedures
Cosmetic Surgery
Scheduling Appointments
Pediatrics
In-Office Procedures
Cosmetic Procedures

Pre-op
Post-Operative Care
Exam Rooms
Front Desk
Patient Education
Insurance Verification
Vital Signs
Facial Plastic Surgery
Skin Care Products
Medical Billing
HIPAA

Insurance Claims
CPT
Patient Appointments
Memorial Hospital
Patient Payments
Patient Data
Laser Hair Removal
Patient Flow
Insurance Billing

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Plastic Surgeon Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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