Simon is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon, a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) and a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
I studied medicine at St George’s medical school, University of London and graduated in 2000 with distinctions in the degree of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). After a 1 year internship (pre-registration house officer) I underwent 3 years of Basic Surgical Training at St George’s hospital, London and successfully completed the entrance exams for the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MRCS).
In 2005 I moved to Melbourne after being persuaded of the merits of this great city by my Australian wife. I spent 5 years in training as a Plastic Surgery Registrar in Melbourne, rotating amongst the city hospitals: Austin health, Southern health, the Alfred, the Royal Melbourne, St Vincent’s and the Royal Children’s hospitals. After passing the final exams of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), I moved back to the UK for 2 years of fellowships to gain further skills and experience. The first fellowship was at the famous Queen Victoria hospital in East Grinstead, UK. This was a microsurgery fellowships, mainly concentrating on reconstruction of the breast following cancer surgery but also treating a large number of patients with breast asymmetry and other plastic surgery of the breast. The second fellowship was at the McIndoe Surgical Centre, UK. This was an aesthetics fellowship learning and refining skills in a wide variety of cosmetic procedures of the face, breast and body.
Since returning to Melbourne, I have established a private practice at Cabrini hospital, Malvern. My scope of practice includes skin cancer, breast surgery (reconstruction, reduction, mastopexy, asymmetry), elective and emergency hand surgery as well as a broad range of cosmetic procedures. I also have public hospital appointments at both the Royal Melbourne hospital as well as the Monash Health network of hospitals.
I have written numerous articles that have been published in peer reviewed medical journals and I have written four text books that have been published by the Royal Society of Medicine press.
Outside of work, I enjoy running, traveling and spending time with my family.
Choosing your surgeon
Did you know that any doctor in Australia (no matter what their training) can call themselves a “cosmetic surgeon”? It is astounding that there is no government legislation to prevent a doctor who has had no formal surgical training from calling themselves a surgeon and performing invasive procedures on patients who are often unaware of this legal technicality. Can you imagine taking an international flight and having a bus driver at the controls in the cockpit?
When choosing a surgeon you should ensure they have sufficient training to not only perform the procedure you need but also recognise and treat any potential complications that can arise.
The name “Specialist Plastic Surgeon” is reserved for only those surgeons who have undergone at least 4 years of advanced training in Plastic Surgery and has been rigorously tested in both knowledge and skill throughout that training.
How will you know?
Is your doctor truly a surgeon? If so they will be a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and will have the letters FRACS after their name.
Is your surgeon truly a Plastic Surgeon? If so they will be a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and will display the ASPS logo
