The American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (which is also the International Board of Hair Restoration Surgery) for the first time held a certification examination outside the United States.
The examination was held in Capri, Italy and was sponsored by the Italian society of Hair Restoration, under the leadership of President, Piero Tesauro M.D. , in conjunction with its annual meeting, May 20 & 21, 2010. Dr. Tesauro and the ISHR members extended gracious support and assistance. We can’t thank them enough for their professionalism, unparalleled hospitality and the opportunity to visit such a beautiful locale. In particular we will remember the wonderful reception Dr. Tesauro and his lovely wife Gabriel held for examiners and examinees at their Capri villa overlooking the Mediterranean.
The ABHRS was founded in 1997 and has grown to 150 certified diplomates, thirty five of whom come from outside North America. The annual certifying examination is held every year in January in Houston, Texas. Over recent years the Board has been hearing from increasing numbers of hair transplant surgeons who reside outside of North America that they are very interested in pursuing certification but find traveling to Houston in January to be very difficult. It was in response to this need that the ABHRS decided to offer the exam outside the US.
Eight hair restoration surgeons from eight countries, from the Middle East, Asia, and South America came to Capri to take the examination. The written portion was in the morning and the three oral examination cases were in the afternoon. Board President, Robert H. True, M.D. , was Joined by Robin Unger, M.D., Bessam Farjo, M.D., Michael Vories, M.D., Dan Didocha, D.O., and Robert Reese, D.O. as the examiners. All examiners are volunteers and travel at their own expense.
Based on the success of this experience and the continued high level of interest, the directors of the ABHRS are considering holding additional certifying exams outside North America. The model of holding them in conjunction with regional society meetings seems to offer many advantages both for examinees and examiners.
The Mission of the ABHRS/IBHRS is to act for the benefit of the public, to establish specialty standards and to examine surgeons’ skill, knowledge and aesthetic judgment in the field of hair restoration surgery. It is the largest worldwide entity to have established standards for certification for education, training and experience in Hair Restoration Surgery. The ABHRS/IBHRS is the only certification recognized by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery.
From left to right ABHRS examiners in Capri: Bessam Farjo, M.D., Michael Vories, M.D., Dan Didocha, D.O., Robert Reese, D.O., Robert True, M.D., and Robin Unger, M.D.
Physicians who are eligible to apply for ABHRS/IBHRS certification have demonstrated the accumulation of significant experience in the field of Hair Restoration Surgery and have all shown a commitment to high standards of training and education. Those who have achieved certification have demonstrated advanced knowledge in the art and science of hair restoration through peer-reviewed examination.
Those who are interested in pursuing certification or who may be interested in setting up a certifying exam through their regional society should visit www.abhrs.org for application and contact details.
