| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Clinical and Medical |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Chief of Surgery |
| Direct reports | Senior Resident Doctor |
| Experience | 2 to 8 years after MCh, with independent flap and burns surgery |
Plastic Surgeon job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Plastic Surgeon
Department: Clinical and Medical
Reports to: Chief of Surgery
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Plastic Surgeon restores form and function after injury, disease or birth defects, and also performs cosmetic surgery. In Indian hospitals the reconstructive side dominates: burns and skin grafting, hand injuries from machines, cleft lip and palate, flap cover for open wounds and diabetic feet, and reconstruction after cancer surgery. Cosmetic work includes liposuction, rhinoplasty and breast procedures. A good plastic surgeon gets flaps and grafts to survive, treats burns with the ICU team and sets honest expectations for cosmetic patients.
Key responsibilities
- Assess and treat burn patients from admission, including fluid plans, escharotomy, dressings and early excision and grafting.
- Repair hand injuries from machines, glass and accidents, including tendons, nerves and vessels under magnification.
- Provide flap and graft cover for open fractures, pressure sores, diabetic foot wounds and exposed implants with the orthopaedic team.
- Reconstruct defects after head and neck, breast and other cancer surgery, including microvascular free flaps where trained.
- Operate on cleft lip and palate and other congenital deformities, and coordinate speech therapy and dental follow-up.
- Perform cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery and breast surgery for suitable patients.
- Counsel cosmetic patients on realistic results, risks, recovery and costs, and decline surgery when expectations are unsafe.
- Watch flaps closely after surgery with the nursing team, and return to the OT quickly when a flap starts failing.
- Take standard photographs before and after surgery with written consent, and store them securely.
- Run wound and scar clinics covering pressure garments, silicone therapy and scar revision plans.
Requirements
- MCh or DrNB in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery after MS General Surgery
- Valid registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council
- Fellowship in microsurgery, hand surgery or aesthetic surgery is an advantage
- 2 to 8 years after MCh, with independent flap and burns surgery
KRAs and KPIs for a Plastic Surgeon
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Flap survival | Flap loss below 5 percent of free and pedicled flaps performed in the year |
| Burns response | Burn patients above 20 percent body surface reviewed by the plastic surgeon within 2 hours of admission |
| Hand injury timing | Acute hand injuries repaired within 24 hours of arrival in 90 percent of cases |
| Graft take | Split skin graft take of 90 percent or better in at least 85 percent of grafts |
| Cosmetic consent | Documented counselling, photographs and consent for 100 percent of cosmetic procedures |
| Surgical volume | Reconstructive and cosmetic cases at or above the monthly department plan |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Operating microscope, Dermatome for skin grafts, Liposuction system, Doppler for flap monitoring, Microsurgical instruments, Clinical photography setup.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Department (Clinical), Chief of Surgery
Interview questions for a Plastic Surgeon
- A factory worker arrives with a crushed hand and two amputated fingers. Walk me through your first steps.
- How do you plan cover for an open tibia fracture with an exposed plate?
- A free flap looks congested four hours after surgery. What is your next step?
- A 22-year-old wants rhinoplasty to look like a film star. How do you counsel her?
- How do you manage a patient with 40 percent burns in the first 24 hours?
- When would you refuse to do a cosmetic procedure?
Managing a Plastic Surgeon in ZeniaHR
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Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does a plastic surgeon do?
A plastic surgeon repairs and reconstructs parts of the body damaged by injury, burns, cancer surgery or birth defects, and also performs cosmetic surgery. Common work in India includes burns and skin grafting, hand injury repair, cleft lip and palate, flap cover for wounds, and cosmetic procedures such as liposuction and rhinoplasty.
What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon?
Cosmetic surgery is one part of plastic surgery. A qualified plastic surgeon holds an MCh or DrNB in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is trained in both reconstructive and cosmetic work. Some doctors advertise as cosmetic surgeons after shorter courses, so patients and hospitals should check the degree and registration.
What qualification does a plastic surgeon need in India?
A plastic surgeon needs an MBBS, an MS in General Surgery, and then an MCh or DrNB in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, with valid medical council registration. Fellowships in microsurgery, hand surgery, craniofacial or aesthetic surgery add further specialisation.