When someone calls themselves a board-certified plastic surgeon, that phrase can mean quite a lot — or very little, depending on who is saying it and which board they are referring to. The term gets used so often in plastic surgery marketing that it has started to lose its meaning. That is a problem, because the credential itself is genuinely important. It just requires a closer look.
Dr. Daniel Golshani is double board-certified. Not simply board-certified. Double. That distinction is worth understanding before you choose a surgeon to operate on your face or body.
Table of Contents
- What Board Certification Actually Means
- The Difference Between Board-Certified and Double Board-Certified
- Broader Surgical Foundation
- Reconstructive Expertise
- Demonstrated Commitment
- Dr. Golshani’s Training: What the Credentials Represent
- Why This Matters When You Are Choosing a Surgeon
- The Beverly Hills Standard
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What does double board-certified mean for a plastic surgeon?
- Is double board certification required to perform plastic surgery?
- How is double board certification different from regular board certification?
- Which boards should I look for when choosing a plastic surgeon?
- Does Dr. Golshani perform both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery?
- How do I verify a surgeon’s board certification?
- Why does training background matter beyond the certification itself?
- Can I schedule a consultation with Dr. Golshani if I live outside Beverly Hills?
What Board Certification Actually Means
In the United States, any licensed physician can legally perform cosmetic procedures — including surgery — regardless of their training or specialty. That means a doctor who completed a residency in emergency medicine, dermatology, or OB-GYN can, in theory, offer rhinoplasty or a facelift. The license permits it. The training, however, does not.
Board certification exists precisely to address this gap. It signals that a surgeon has completed a recognized residency in a specific surgical specialty, passed rigorous written and oral examinations administered by an independent board, and demonstrated the clinical competency required to practice in that specialty at the highest level.
The two boards that matter most in plastic surgery are the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and the American Board of Surgery (ABS). Both are member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties — the gold standard credentialing body in American medicine.
Consequently, when you see a surgeon who is certified by both, you are looking at someone who has cleared two of the most demanding credentialing processes in surgery. That is not common. And it is not accidental.
The Difference Between Board-Certified and Double Board-Certified
A surgeon who is board-certified in plastic surgery has completed a plastic surgery residency and passed the ABPS examination. That is already a high bar. Most plastic surgeons stop there — and many deliver excellent results.
A double board-certified surgeon, however, has done something more. They have trained and been examined in an additional surgical specialty — typically general surgery — before completing plastic surgery training. This matters for several reasons.
Broader surgical foundation. General surgery residency trains surgeons in the full complexity of the human body — anatomy, physiology, wound healing, tissue management, and operative decision-making across a wide range of conditions. A plastic surgeon who has completed this training before specializing brings a fundamentally deeper clinical foundation to every procedure they perform.
Reconstructive expertise. Double board-certified plastic surgeons often have significant experience in reconstructive surgery — repairing tissues damaged by injury, illness, or prior surgery. This expertise directly elevates the quality of cosmetic work. A surgeon who understands how tissue heals, moves, and ages at a structural level makes better decisions in the operating room.
Demonstrated commitment. The path to double board certification is long. It requires years of additional training, additional examinations, and an ongoing commitment to meeting the standards of two separate credentialing bodies. Surgeons who pursue it do so because they hold themselves to a higher standard — not because it is required.
Dr. Golshani’s Training: What the Credentials Represent
Dr. Daniel Golshani earned his Biology degree from UCLA, graduating magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and as a Dean’s Scholar. He attended UC Irvine College of Medicine as a UC Regent’s Scholar. From there, he completed a six-year General Surgery residency at LA County–USC Medical Center — one of the most demanding surgical training programs in the country — where he served as chief resident and earned the Chief Resident Teacher of the Year award.
He then trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery at UCSF, followed by a reconstructive microsurgery fellowship at USC Keck School of Medicine. Both are institutions with international reputations in surgical training.
The result is a surgeon whose credentials are not simply a list of titles. They represent a specific, rigorous, and verifiable path — one that gives patients performing their due diligence something concrete to evaluate.
Why This Matters When You Are Choosing a Surgeon
Choosing a plastic surgeon is one of the most consequential decisions you can make for your health and appearance. The credential question is worth asking directly, because the answer narrows the field considerably.
Here is what to look for:
Verify the boards. Ask specifically which boards a surgeon is certified by and confirm those boards are ABMS-recognized. There are self-designated “boards” in cosmetic surgery that have no affiliation with the ABMS and set their own, often lower, standards. These certifications are not equivalent.
Look at the training, not just the title. Where did the surgeon complete their residency? How many years? Did they pursue additional fellowship training? A surgeon who trained at a major academic medical center, completed a fellowship, and has been in practice for decades brings something that credentials alone cannot fully capture — but the credentials are the starting point.
Consider the scope of practice. A double board-certified plastic surgeon who also performs reconstructive surgery — as Dr. Golshani does — operates at the intersection of cosmetic and clinical medicine. That scope requires a level of technical precision that raises the quality of everything they do, including the facelift, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and body contouring procedures that patients travel from around the world to have performed.
Results should reflect the training. Credentials establish credibility. Results confirm it. When you review a surgeon’s before-and-after gallery, you are looking for balance, proportion, and restraint — results that look natural rather than operated on. In the hands of a surgeon with Dr. Golshani’s training and experience, the goal has never been to change how you look. It has been to reveal a version of you that looks unhurried by time.
The Beverly Hills Standard
Beverly Hills attracts patients who have done their research. They arrive at consultations knowing what questions to ask — and they notice the difference between a surgeon who can answer those questions with depth and one who cannot.
Double board certification is not a marketing phrase at our practice. It is the foundation of everything Dr. Golshani does — from the initial consultation, through the operating room, to the follow-up appointments months after surgery. It is why patients come to him from across Los Angeles, across the country, and from around the world. And it is why their results look like better versions of themselves, not like someone who had surgery.
To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Golshani at our Beverly Hills practice, contact us at (310) 274-3481.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does double board-certified mean for a plastic surgeon? It means the surgeon has met the credentialing standards of two separate ABMS-recognized surgical boards — typically the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery — passing rigorous examinations in both specialties.
Is double board certification required to perform plastic surgery? No, and that is exactly the point. It is not required — which is why it meaningfully distinguishes the surgeons who pursue it.
How is double board certification different from regular board certification? Single board certification covers one specialty. Double board certification reflects training, examination, and ongoing credentialing in two distinct surgical disciplines, resulting in a broader clinical foundation.
Which boards should I look for when choosing a plastic surgeon? Look for certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and, for double board-certified surgeons, the American Board of Surgery (ABS). Both are members of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
Does Dr. Golshani perform both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery? Yes. Dr. Golshani performs the full range of facial, breast, body, and nose procedures, as well as reconstructive surgery. His reconstructive experience directly enhances the precision and outcomes of his cosmetic work.
How do I verify a surgeon’s board certification? You can verify ABMS board certification directly at certificationmatters.org — the official public verification tool of the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Why does training background matter beyond the certification itself? Because certification confirms a standard was met. Where and how a surgeon trained — the programs, the mentors, the volume and complexity of cases — shapes the judgment and technical skill they bring to every operation. For Dr. Golshani, that path ran through UCLA, UC Irvine, LA County–USC, UCSF, and USC Keck. That is not a typical résumé.
Can I schedule a consultation with Dr. Golshani if I live outside Beverly Hills? Absolutely. A significant portion of Dr. Golshani’s patients travel from outside California and internationally. Virtual consultations are available, and the practice’s Destination Surgery program supports patients throughout the entire process.
