Questions from a Medical Student interested in Plastic Surgery by Dr. Philip Young Bellevue: This is what someone wrote me with questions regarding becoming a doctor. We thought it would be interesting for some of our readers:

1. What made you choose this profession? I lost my mother to cancer which initiated my decision to become a doctor. It was too depressing to do cancer work for me so I decided to do something more light hearted with facial plastic surgery.

 

2.What is the best thing/experience of a doctor? Making people happy.

 

3. What is the worst? We always do the best we can. Medicine is a complicated profession. Although we use the best technology and latest and proven techniques, sometimes, although not common, people aren’t happy. You can’t make everyone happy as hard as you try. I’m not sure if any person, business, or corporation can make everyone happy.  You just have to keep trying your best, hope for the best and try to turn everything into a positive in some way.

 

4.How long does it take to become a basic doctor? 4 years undergrad, 4 years medical school, 5 years head and neck surgery residency, 1 year fellowship in facial plastics. At a minimum, you need around 11 years after high school. I took 16 years after high school to complete all my training.

 

5. Is physics needed in becoming a doctor? Yes, it is part of the biology degree I needed for premed.

 

6. What is the average percentage throughout grade 11 and 12 you need in high school to become a doctor? You probably need at least a 3.5 gpa to get into a college. But I wouldn’t give up if you don’t.  This will allow you to get into a college. Then in college, I would think you need at least a 3.5 to get into medical school.  But really it will make it easier if you have a gpa that is above a 3.6. I had a gpa of 3.61 in high school. And then in college I had a 3.72 but my premedical classes gpa was higher in college. But in medical school, I was one of the top 2 students for the first couple of years of medical school which earned me the Mcgraw Hill Award. I was also alpha omega alpha honor society in medical school which is awarded to the top 5–10% of the students in your class. In head and neck residency at USC, my yearly exams were always in the 90-95th percentile. During my fellowship board exam I scored the number one score in the country on the written exam.

 

7. What is the starting salary? Hard to say. Starting around 90,000 I would think for a primary care doctor. But it goes up later. Surgeons start around 150k at least.

 

8. Could ones salary raise depending on the number of patients? Of course. One’s salary is often times based on your production. This is what you will find in any sector.

 

9. How do i begin a career as a doctor as above. Do well in high school, then in college, then in medical school. I would consult with your school’s administration. I would research it on the internet as much as possible. I would call undergrad colleges, medical schools. There are resources out there for people like you.

 

10. What is the estimated tuition/ financial expense in becoming a doctor? Undergrad around 20-40 thousand. Medical School can be much more. My tuition in medical school was around 40k for each year for everything. You get paid in residency a small amount like 24k a year.

 

 

Thank you for your time

Come visit as Dr. Philip Young’s Website.

Choosing a Plastic Surgeon is the most important step by Dr. Philip Young of Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery: There is no denying the fact that there are hundreds of Plastic Surgeons to choose from when you are beginning to think of any kind of enhancement surgery. We always tell patients to pick the best surgeon for you and your individual needs. It is very important to meet with these doctors face-to-face and understand their abilities to help you achieve your desired look.

We often have patients asking about Dr. Young’s background and experience. Here are some Q&A’s that we have compiled to allow our new patients to learn more about Dr. Young as a surgeon, as a person and his office and team.

1. He has extensive experience – As a leading Bellevue / Seattle facial rejuvenation expert, Dr. Young has performed more than 1200 facelifts, including liposuction, neck and eye lifts. He has performed more facelifts than over 99% of surgeons in the northwest.

2. Academic Excellence – Dr. Young strives to continually learn the latest techniques and gain the most up-to-date knowledge. His thirst for knowledge was demonstrated on the written exam administered by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery , which he scored the number one score in the nation compared with his colleagues who specialize in plastic surgery of the face and neck.

3. State-of-the art facility – Dr. Young uses the most advanced lasers and techniques available and continually updates his office and procedural rooms to better treat his patients. Dr. Young’s CO2 laser and Intense Pulse Light equipment are the industry’s gold standard. He continually researches the literature to find the most current and best practices for the particular conditions that he is treating. We are also AAAHC certified which signifies that we have satisfied some of the most rigorous standards for an office with a surgical facility. See our AAAHC Plastic Surgery Page and our certification letter.

4. He has been internationally acclaimed for his understanding of facial beauty – Understanding what makes a face beautiful is essential in developing the goals that plastic surgeons strive for when they help their clients. Dr. Young noticed that many results that were seen in Hollywood stars were less than optimal. He thought that if the best were achieving these results something needed improvement. He spent several years studying the reasons for this which ultimately culminated in a groundbreaking theory on facial beauty called the Circles of Prominence. This internationally acclaimed theory received the Sir Harold Delf Gillies award for his ground-breaking theory on beauty awarded by his peers from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

5. He is triple-board certified – Board certification is a rigorous process that physicians undergo to ensure that they meet the qualifications and standards of competency that will allow them to safely and successfully practice the area of medicine in which they are specializing. Dr. Young is triple board certified by three separate institutions: the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Board of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Board of Laser Surgery.

6. Dr. Young is born and raised in Washington – Dr. Young has an affinity for treating and helping Washingtonians because he was born and raised in Federal Way, Washington. He also graduated from University of Washington. He has always wanted to return to Washington, which he thinks is the best place on earth to live and work.

7. He believes in “Anything and Everything” for his patients – Dr. Young believes that beyond all of his training and accolades, his clients and patients are what matter the most. At the end of the day, he wants to know that he has done something good in the world and that he has made someone happy. He strives for the best customer experience and believes in the adage of “Anything and Everything” for his patients.

8. He has an excellent, caring team – Dr. Young demands the very best in his staff to help care for his patients. His staff includes a registered nurse who has extensive experience in cardiac (heart) care and is Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified. He has staff that are extensively trained in AAAHC certification and medical office management as well as a person who has a law degree. Most importantly, each and every one of his staff have the utmost concern to take care of the people that come to us and he has chosen carefully those people that have that commitment.

9. Dr. Young is Fellowship Trained – In addition to training, during his residency, at the University of Southern California, Dr. Young went on to do an extra year of training under world renowned Dr. Frederick Stucker at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dr. Stucker is one of the Grandmasters in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is one of the founders of the Face to Face humanitarian program. Dr. Young travels around the world donating his time, expertise, and care towards this cause and has been to Vietnam and China.

10. Dr. Young devotes his time to Humanitarian efforts both locally and internationally – Dr. Young donates his time locally and around the world to help victims of trauma / domestic violence and those who have been born with congenital anomalies such as cleft lip and palate. He has recently been featured in several local newspapers (Bellevue Reporter, Northwest Asian Weekly, UW Daily) for his humanitarian work on a local domestic violence victim. Check out those stories on our website.