This is the premier organization in the United States representing all surgeons in somewhat the same way that the American Medical Association in theory represents all physicians. Surgeons accepted for membership are identified as "Fellows," hence the abbreviation that you see after member's names, FACS, or Fellow of the American College of surgeons. Each country throughout the world has a similar organization. In the United Kingdom, for instance, the organization is the Royal College of Surgeons and the initials, FRCS.

This is the premier organization representing all plastic surgeons who are board certified in the United States. The ASPRS maintains a very informative home page with much useful information about plastic surgeons and plastic surgical procedures. It also is the sponsor of the premier medical journal dealing with the science and art of plastic surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, published by Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore .