Surgeon · Credentials
Independently verifiable credentials
Every credential listed below can be verified at its source registry. Independent verification — taking only minutes per credential — is the single most actionable safety measure in selecting any plastic surgeon.
Surgeon credentials
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Işık Erdal is a double board-certified plastic surgeon (FACS, FEBOPRAS) with substantial international academic profile. All credentials below are independently verifiable at their source registries — independent verification is the single most actionable safety measure in selecting any plastic surgeon.
Independently verifiable credentials
FACS — Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Senior surgical credential awarded by the American College of Surgeons. Requires rigorous evaluation of training, experience, ethics, and ongoing education. Inducted ACS Clinical Congress 2025.
Verify at facs.org →
FEBOPRAS / EBOPRAS
Fellow, European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. Examination-based European credential for plastic surgery practice. Independent of national licensing.
Verify at ebopras.eu →
Associate Professor — Gazi University
Faculty of Medicine, Plastic Surgery Department. Verifiable through YÖK Akademik (Turkish national academic registry — equivalent of national academic recognition system).
Verify at YÖK Akademik →
30+ peer-reviewed publications
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Annals of Plastic Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery, and other international journals. Active engagement with evolving surgical evidence.
View PubMed →
JCI-accredited operating hospital
Joint Commission International accreditation — international gold standard for hospital quality and patient safety. JCI-accredited hospitals globally meet the same quality benchmarks as elite US hospitals.
JCI verification →
MoH Health Tourism Authorization
Turkish Ministry of Health Health Tourism Authorization (Sağlık Turistliği Yetki Belgesi). Certificate No. 2026034015610080000444996, issued 10.03.2026. Authorising international medical tourism services.
ISAPS Gold & Bronze Awards 2023
International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery World Congress 2023. Awarded both Gold and Bronze recognitions for scientific contribution. ISAPS is the leading global plastic surgery academic society.
ISAPS website →
International training
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (USA) — visiting fellowship. Ghent University Hospital (Belgium) — fellowship training. Comprehensive international training profile.
Why independent verification matters
Independent credential verification is the single most actionable safety measure in selecting any plastic surgeon — domestic or international. The reason: credentials claimed on practice websites or marketing materials cannot be independently verified by the patient unless the patient checks the source registry.
| Risk | Independent verification protection |
|---|
| Lapsed or revoked credentials | Source registry shows current status |
| Misrepresented qualifications | Source registry shows actual credentials |
| Practice associated with non-board-certified surgeon | Direct surgeon name lookup confirms |
| Hospital quality concerns | JCI website confirms current accreditation |
| Regulatory authority concerns | National medical board confirms current license status |
Verification takes minutes and provides substantial peace of mind. For international medical tourism in particular, where patients cannot visit the practice in advance, source-registry verification is the most reliable safety screening tool available.
Practice information
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Surgeon | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Işık Erdal, MD, FACS, FEBOPRAS |
| Clinic address | Teşvikiye Caddesi No:9/12, Şişli, Istanbul 34365, Turkey |
| Operating hospital | JCI-accredited international hospital, Istanbul |
| WhatsApp | +90 544 850 72 32 |
| Instagram | @dr.ayhanisikerdal |
| Email | info@ayhanisikerdal.com |
Verification first principle. Before committing to any plastic surgeon — domestic or international — verify their credentials independently at the source registry. This applies to Dr. Erdal and to every other surgeon you might consider. The verification process is identical: find the surgeon's name in the relevant board's official directory; confirm current status. Practices that resist verification, refuse to provide registry numbers, or whose credentials cannot be independently confirmed warrant additional scrutiny.
Frequently asked questions
How can I verify a plastic surgeon's credentials independently?
Independent verification is the most actionable safety measure in selecting any plastic surgeon — domestic or international. For Dr. Erdal: FACS verification at facs.org/search; FEBOPRAS/EBOPRAS at ebopras.eu; Turkish Ministry of Health Health Tourism Authorization through the official Saglik Turistliği Yetki Belgesi system; Gazi University Associate Professor through YÖK Akademik (Turkish national academic registry); peer-reviewed publications at PubMed (search 'Erdal AI'). Each verification takes minutes and is the most reliable safety screening. Be skeptical of any practice that resists verification or whose credentials cannot be independently confirmed.
What does 'double board-certified' mean?
Dr. Erdal holds two separate, independent specialty board certifications: FACS (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) and FEBOPRAS (Fellow, European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery). FACS is awarded by the American College of Surgeons after rigorous evaluation of training, experience, and ethical standards. FEBOPRAS is the European examination-based credential for plastic surgery. Holding both means meeting independent qualification standards from two different international medical systems — substantially higher bar than a single national credential.
Is JCI hospital accreditation important?
Joint Commission International (JCI) is the international gold standard for hospital quality and patient safety. JCI accreditation requires meeting hundreds of specific safety, quality, infection control, and patient care standards — independently audited every 3 years. JCI-accredited hospitals globally meet the same quality benchmarks that elite US hospitals meet. For international patients in particular, JCI accreditation provides reassurance that the hospital infrastructure meets international standards regardless of country. Operating in a JCI-accredited hospital is meaningful quality verification.
What is the Turkish Ministry of Health Health Tourism Authorization?
An official Turkish Ministry of Health certificate (Sağlık Turistliği Yetki Belgesi) authorising a healthcare practice to provide services to international medical tourism patients. Issued only to practices meeting specific requirements for: international patient infrastructure, multi-lingual support, treatment protocols, follow-up care arrangements, and overall quality. Dr. Erdal's certificate number 2026034015610080000444996, issued 10.03.2026. The certificate can be verified through the Turkish Ministry of Health portal.
Why do publications matter in selecting a plastic surgeon?
Peer-reviewed publications indicate active engagement with evolving surgical knowledge. Dr. Erdal has 30+ peer-reviewed publications in international journals (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Annals of Plastic Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery). Publication-active surgeons are required to: stay current with evolving evidence, contribute to the field's knowledge base, present at international conferences, and undergo peer review of their work. While not all excellent surgeons publish heavily, an active publication record is a strong indicator of intellectual engagement with the specialty.
What is the ISAPS Gold Award?
ISAPS is the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — the leading global plastic surgery academic organization. ISAPS World Congress (held biennially) is the premier international plastic surgery conference. The Gold Award recognises outstanding scientific contribution. Dr. Erdal received both Gold and Bronze ISAPS Awards at the ISAPS World Congress 2023 — meaningful peer recognition by the international plastic surgery community. Awards verifiable through ISAPS records.
Related references