Plastic surgery in the European Union: A study of development, training, manpowerplanning and migration

The aim of this study is to clarify the role of plastic surgery in the European Union (the former European Connnnnity). The idea is that this will lead to a better understanding of the specialty among laymen., colleagnes and healthcare officials. To this end, the historical development of the specialty and its present day problems, including the European Unification and border zone activities by other specialties, will be discussed. Whenever possible, links and counections with the historical development and the boundary problems will be sought in the discussion of the subject under review, which subjects will be categorized under severa! headings. Also, the training in plastic surgery will be analysed and a comparison will be made concerning the various EU countries (the fonner EC countries). Furthermore, the effects of European Unification including the possible need for European standardization of contents and training of the specialty and manpower planning and migration within Europe will be discussed. Finally, reconnnendations will be made for the future development of the specialty. Plastic surgery is an intrigning specialty. On the one hand it has experienced a tremendous development, on the other hand there are problems, due to its complexity (Luce, 1993), which require clarification. The need to discuss these problems is partly caused by the increasing media coverage of the aesthetic side of the specialty of plastic surgery and by the boundary problems with other specialties.

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