AACS certified Cosmetic Surgery Fellowships

AACS Certified Cosmetic Surgery Fellowships

For the best training in cosmetic surgery

Do you want to become a top cosmetic surgeon? Then train with the experts.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery certifies post-residency Fellowship Programs across the country in both general cosmetic surgery and facial cosmetic surgery, each offering in-depth, hands-on training from leading surgeons.

It’s your choice – You can apply to the programs that meet YOUR needs, considering factors like location, director, start date, stipend and time commitment.

Unmatched level of training – You will perform more than 300 cosmetic surgery procedures a year. No other fellowship program offers this caliber of training and instruction in cosmetic surgery, with rare access to patients and expertise.

Dedicated mentorship – Get personal instruction from well-known, leading cosmetic surgeons who possess a wealth of experience and a desire to teach.

Path to board certification – After completing your fellowship, you may be eligible to take the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery or American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery board examinations.

Apply now to a cosmetic surgery fellowship

Follow the steps below to apply for a fellowship:

Am I Eligible for an AACS Fellowship?

Potential fellows need to fulfill the following criteria for their application to be considered. Please read the following carefully to see if you qualify before continuing with your application.

General Fellowship Requirements

A General Cosmetic Surgery fellow must qualify under one of the following specialties:

GENERAL SURGERY; OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY; OTOLARYNGOLOGY; PLASTIC SURGERY:

Board certification in General Surgery; Obstetrics/Gynecology; Otolaryngology; Plastic Surgery is required. Board certification must be granted by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS); a member board of the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOA‐ BOS); or a certifying board that requires the completion of a residency program accredited by the ACGME, AOA‐BOS.

ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY:

Board certified, or successfully completed an accredited integrated OMS‐MD program required for board certification, in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) with a medical degree (MD). To qualify, board certification must be granted by a certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association, and requiring residency training that complies with both the ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in General Surgery, and the Accreditation Standards for Advanced Specialty Education Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

OPHTHALMOLOGY:

Board certified, or successfully completed an accredited residency program required for board certification, in Ophthalmology. To qualify, board certification in ophthalmology must be granted by a member board of the ABMS, a member board of the AOA‐BOS, or a certifying board that otherwise requires the completion of a residency program accredited by the ACGME, AOA‐BOS and successful completion of an Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Program certified by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) or an ASOPRS member in good standing or successful completion of the first year (PGY‐1) of a general surgery residency program accredited by ACGME or the AOA‐BOS.

Other requirements can be found on the Program Requirements for Clinical Fellowship Training in General Cosmetic Surgery.

Facial Fellowship Requirements

A Facial Cosmetic Surgery must qualify under one of the following specialties:

SURGICAL SPECIALTIES

Successfully completed an accredited residency program required for board certification, in Dermatology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, Otolaryngology, or Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. To qualify, board certification must be granted by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), member board of the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOA- BOS), or a certifying board that otherwise requires the completion of a residency program accredited by the ACGME, AOA-BOS.

ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Successfully completed an accredited single OMS certificate (DDS/DMD) or integrated dual degree OMS/MD program required for board certification, in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) MD degree with current and valid state medical and/dental licenses. To qualify, said board certification must be granted by a certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association, ie, the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery or ABOMS requiring residency training that complies with both the ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in General Surgery, and the Accreditation Standards for Advanced Specialty Education Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

DERMATOLOGY

Successfully completed an accredited residency program required for board certification, in dermatology. To qualify, board certification in dermatology must be granted by a member board of the ABMS, a member board of the AOA-BOS, or a certifying board that otherwise requires the completion of a residency program accredited by the ACGME, AOA-BOS.

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Successfully completed an accredited residency program required for board certification in ophthalmology. To qualify, board certification in ophthalmology must be granted by a member board of the ABMS, a member board of the AOA-BOS, or a certifying board that otherwise requires the completion of a residency program accredited by the ACGME, AOA-BOS.

Other requirements can be found on the Program Requirements for Clinical Fellowship Training in Facial Cosmetic Surgery.

Find a Program that Fits

Below is a current list of Fellowship Program Directors by region. Click on the director's name to view a description of their program.

Apply for Fellowship

July 2019 fellowship candidates, complete your fellowship program application, identifying up to seven programs of interest. The application will be sent to Program Directors on a rolling basis. If you are interested in sending your application to more than seven programs, please contact Margaret Bengtson, mbengtson@thesentergroup.com.

July 2020 applicants, AACS certified Fellowship Programs have agreed to participate in a Match application system.

AACS certified Fellowship Match

Key Dates:
Application Submission: Ongoing-February 15 of the year prior to starting the Fellowship. For example, July 2020 application deadline is February 15, 2019.

March 1 - Program Directors receive the applications that identified their Program in an application.

March 1-June 1 - Candidates are invited to interview. Interviews must be scheduled before June 1.

June 1 - Rank Submission Deadline

July 1 - Results Released to Applicants

July 1 - Post-Match Vacancies Published

All 2020 academic year training fellow applicants will use the centralized application Match system. The application includes uploading letters of recommendation and selecting the Fellowship Programs of interest. AACS will submit the application to the programs you have identified in your application.

Between March and June, the programs will contact those candidates who are being extended an interview. The candidates and programs will hold interviews during this defined period.

By June 1, the programs and candidates will submit their “ranklist” of the programs/candidates in the order that they would be willing to match. The match results will be released on July 1, for those that will be starting their fellowship the following year. Applicants are responsible for ensuring they meet all prerequisites for eligibility prior to starting their fellowship.

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Elective Rotation

Training Fellows in an AACS certified Fellowship Program can participate in an elective rotation designed to train in the art and practice of hair restoration surgery.

Learn More

Have questions?

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to get answers to your questions, like:

How do I choose which fellowship program is right for me?
Is there tuition reimbursement or a stipend?
What is the process of approval?

Apply to be a Fellowship Director

Interested in establishing an AACS certified Fellowship Program? Please read the Guidelines for requirements and complete an application.