Don’t confuse physician categories
If the Times Free Press’ “Best of the Best” popularity contest is going to include physician categories (which they shouldn’t), they should at least have appropriate categories.
The “Best Cosmetic or Plastic Surgeon” category groups together what are potentially two very distinctly different types of doctors with very different training, certification, expertise, and hospital credentials … or lack thereof.
The specialty of plastic surgery encompasses both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. A real plastic surgeon is fully trained in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the entire body as evidenced by completion of an accredited plastic surgery training program, certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and having hospital privileges in the specialty of plastic surgery.
Therefore, by definition, all plastic surgeons are “cosmetic surgeons.”
In contrast, a “cosmetic surgeon” could be any doctor with a medical license who decides to attempt to perform cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, even without any formal training.