• A cosmetic surgeon works extremely long hours, spending many of them on his feet. To a certain degree, the daily schedule of a cosmetic surgeon depends on where he works. Some cosmetic surgeons work in a private practice, while others work in a hospital setting. In either case, there are some job duties that remain the same, such as documenting every aspect of the patient's care in her medical record and ordering necessary blood and imaging tests.
  
  

Rounds

• A cosmetic surgeon's day usually begins with hospital rounds. During these rounds, the surgeon will check on any patients he has admitted to the hospital. Some of these admissions may be for elective surgeries; others are for cosmetic surgeries made necessary by an accident, such as car wreck or a fall. The doctor will answer any questions the patient may have. He will check on the patient's incisions. The doctor must document these visits, including recording any special instructions he may have, on the patient's chart. If all is well with the patient, he may opt to release her.
  
  

Office Visits

• Once the doctor has finished his rounds, he will usually report to his office and begin seeing patients. Most cosmetic surgeons see patients who are having procedures done early that morning, especially if the procedures are outpatient procedures, meaning that the surgeon can do the work in his practice or an outpatient clinic. Procedures like Botox injections or minor eyelid lifts are examples of this.
  
  

Consultations and Follow-Up Exams

• Throughout the day, the cosmetic surgeon may see patients in his office for consultations on upcoming surgeries. Surgeons who are very busy may restrict these consultations to 1 or 2 days per week. The surgeon will also examine patients who have already had surgery. These follow-up exams allow the surgeon to check the incision site, as well as look for any signs of infection or other problems that may have resulted from the surgery. If the patient needs to have stitches or staples removed, the surgeon will usually do so during the follow-up visit.
  
  

Surgery

• When a patient is ready for surgery, she will do a pre-operation exam. During this exam, she draw the lines on the patient that she will use as a guide during the surgery. She will then administer anesthesia or contact an anesthesiologist to administer it for the surgery. The surgeon will then begin the actual surgery, taking care that it is done according to proper procedures. Once the surgery is over, he will periodically check on the patient.