An Examiner’s Guide to Professional Plastic Surgery Exams

Michael F. Klaassen FRACS is a former examiner in plastic & reconstructive surgery for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (2000 – 2008) and a consultant plastic surgeon working both in New Zealand and Australia. For the past eight years, he has convened the Auckland FRACS(Plast) Course with Earle Brown FRCS, FRACS, Associate Professor Michael Leung FRACS and Dr Mark Moore AM, FRACS. His special interest is in rehabilitating failed candidates with whom he has an historical bond. There is very little published in this field and this scarcity of resources, was a motivating factor behind this book.  Earle Brown FRCS, FRACS is a former Head of Plastic Surgery Unit / Clinical Director of Surgery at Middlemore Hospital, in Auckland, New Zealand. He mentored Michael Klaassen from the early 1980s and coached him to eventual success in the final fellowship exams for plastic & reconstructive surgery in 1989. Active in his retirement, Earle has continued as a tutor of computer science for his peer group and has been an enthusiastic member of the faculty for the Auckland FRACS(Plast) Course. He and Klaassen have also published books on the fundamentals of plastic surgery and local flap repair.

Psychology of exam performance.- Caught in the spotlight.- Knowledge is power, experience is key.- Plastic surgery principles.- The art of writing answers.- Long cases in plastic surgery.- Short cases in plastic surgery.- Surgical pathology and operative surgery.- Applied anatomy in plastic surgery.- Anesthesia for plastic surgeons.- Aesthetic surgery principles.- Science principles for plastic surgery.- The successful candidate in professional plastic surgery exams.- The failed candidate in professional plastic surgery exams.- Advice for support team, family and friends of candidates appearing for professional plastic surgery exams.- General advice for candidates appearing for professional plastic surgery exams and summary.