Fellowship of American Surgeons

Darkewolfe

I am getting ready to have some surgery done that needs to be done expediently. My internist referred me to a specific surgeon, who has been guiding me through the process and very helpful. He agreed that I should get a second opinion and speak with another surgeon as well, simply as a matter of course. I really feel lost when trying to compare surgeons, however. This particular individual doesn't list himself with the F.A.C.S. title, unlike most of his colleagues in his group. How important is membership in the group, and should it be a dealbreaker?

werehippy

As long as a provider is certified in their specialty, that's really about the only objective measure of quality you'll be able to find. Fellowships and so on are more trade organizations that groups that have some sort of skill bar that needs to be cleared beyond the bare minimum.

Unless someone is extremely good or extremely bad, it's almost impossible to get a feel for their comparative skill levels. Your best bet might be to talk to someone in the provider's office, or in the surgical department of a local healthcare group. Tell them you are looking for a second opinion and ask whoever is at the front desk or answering your call who they'd recommend going to. The people who actually work with the doctors or in the office for a long period of time are going to be the ones who could give you a decent idea of who they'd trust, who really works with their patients and follows up on their care, and so on.