Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the case mix of plastic surgeons in their early years of practice by examining candidate case logs submitted for the oral examination.
Methods: Deidentified data from 2000 to 2009 consisting of case logs submitted by young plastic surgery candidates for the oral examination were analyzed. Data consisted of examination year, Current Procedural Terminology codes and the designation of each code as cosmetic or reconstructive by the candidate, and patient age and sex. Subgroup analyses for comprehensive, cosmetic, craniomaxillofacial, and hand surgery modules were performed by using the Current Procedural Terminology code list designated by the American Board of Plastic Surgery Maintenance of Certification in Plastic Surgery module framework.
Results: The authors examined case logs from a yearly average of 261 candidates over 10 years. Wider variations in yearly percentage change in median cosmetic surgery case volumes (-62.5 to 30 percent) were observed when compared with the reconstructive surgery case volumes (-18.0 to 25.7 percent). Compared with cosmetic surgery cases per candidate, which varied significantly from year to year (p < 0.0001), reconstructive surgery cases per candidate did not vary significantly (p = 0.954). Subgroup analyses of proportions of types of surgical procedures based on Maintenance of Certification in Plastic Surgery Current Procedural Terminology code categories revealed hand surgery to be the least performed procedure relative to comprehensive, craniomaxillofacial, and cosmetic surgery procedures.
Conclusions: Graduates of plastic surgery training programs are committed to performing a broad spectrum of reconstructive and cosmetic surgical procedures in their first year of practice. However, hand surgery continues to have a small presence in the practice profiles of young plastic surgeons.