How to verify a Brazilian surgeon's credentials from abroad.
Brazil has public, free databases that let you confirm a surgeon's license, specialty and scientific record in minutes. Here is exactly where to look, what each number means and which documents to request before you book.
In Brazil, every physician has a CRM license number issued by the state medical council, and specialists have an RQE number linked to a recognized specialty. Both are public and searchable for free on the CFM national portal and on state CRM websites. Cross-check the RQE specialty, then confirm society membership, publications on PubMed and an ORCID record. Dr. Guilherme Sella holds CRM-PR 33.018 and RQE 17.984 in Otorhinolaryngology, with six indexed papers and ORCID 0000-0001-9761-695X. Ask any surgeon for these numbers in writing before you travel.
Why this check matters more when you are abroad
When you choose a surgeon in your own country, you usually have shortcuts: a referral from your family doctor, a friend who had surgery, a national registry you already know how to read. None of that travels well. From abroad, social media reach can look like authority, and polished before-and-after galleries say nothing about licensing.
The good news is that Brazil is unusually transparent here. Medical practice is regulated by the Federal Council of Medicine, the CFM, and every license and specialist title is public information. You can confirm, from your laptop, whether a surgeon is licensed, in which specialty, since when, and whether the license is active and free of restrictions. The whole process takes around fifteen minutes.
CRM: the license to practice medicine
CRM stands for Conselho Regional de Medicina, the state medical council. Every physician in Brazil is registered with the council of the state where they practice and receives a number, written as CRM plus the state abbreviation plus the digits. Dr. Sella practices in Paraná, so his registration reads CRM-PR 33.018.
The CRM number proves three things: the person graduated from a recognized medical school, is legally allowed to practice medicine in Brazil, and is subject to the ethics code enforced by the council. A physician without an active CRM cannot legally operate. A physician registered in one state can perform surgery in another, but the registration must exist and be active somewhere.
What the CRM alone does not tell you is the specialty. That is the second number.
RQE: the number that confirms the specialty
RQE means Registro de Qualificação de Especialista. It is granted when a physician completes a recognized residency program or passes the board examination of the national specialty society, and then registers that title with the medical council. The RQE is specialty specific. A physician can hold more than one.
This distinction matters because in Brazil, as in most countries, a licensed physician is not legally barred from performing procedures outside a formal specialty. The RQE is how you check that the training is documented and officially recognized.
Dr. Sella holds RQE 17.984 in Otorhinolaryngology, obtained after residency at the Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, with the specialist title granted by ABORL-CCF in 2014. Facial plastic surgery in Brazil is practiced by both otorhinolaryngologists and plastic surgeons, and nasal surgery sits at the intersection of function and appearance. You can read the full training timeline on the surgeon's profile page.
Step by step: running the check yourself
- Ask for the full legal name, CRM number with state, and RQE number in writing. A surgeon who hesitates to send these is answering your question already.
- Open the CFM national physician search on the official council portal, or the website of the relevant state council, for example the Paraná council for a CRM-PR number.
- Search by the number, then by the name. Confirm that the name matches, the status is active, and the specialty with RQE is listed.
- Note the graduation year and the institution. Compare it with what the surgeon's website and social media state.
- Search the surname and initials on PubMed to see indexed scientific publications.
- Search the ORCID registry to confirm authorship and academic output belong to the same person.
- Ask which hospital will host your surgery and confirm that the facility exists and is accredited.
If you do not read Portuguese, browser translation handles these pages well. Our team can also send the registration data in English or Spanish on request, as described in the guide for international patients.
Societies, boards and what each one means
Society membership is not a license. It is a signal of peer recognition and continuing education, and the requirements vary. Reading them correctly helps.
| Credential | What it proves | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|
| CRM | Legal license to practice medicine in Brazil | CFM portal or state council website |
| RQE | Officially registered medical specialty | Same council record, listed under the CRM |
| ABORL-CCF title | Board certification in otorhinolaryngology | Society member directory |
| ABCPF membership | Full membership in the Brazilian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery | Society member directory |
| EBFPRS certificate | European board examination in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery | European board records |
| PubMed and ORCID | Peer-reviewed scientific output | pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and orcid.org |
Dr. Sella is a full member of ABORL-CCF and of the Brazilian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, where he currently serves as deputy treasurer, a founding member of the Brazilian Rhinoplasty Society, and certified by the European Board in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
The scientific record: PubMed, ORCID and teaching
Publications are optional for a good surgeon, and their absence is not a red flag. Their presence, however, is verifiable in a way that marketing is not. Searching "Sella GCP" on PubMed returns six indexed articles, including three on dorsal preservation rhinoplasty in peer-reviewed journals: "Expanding Indications to Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty" in Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America in 2025, "Brazilian Approach to Dorsum Preservation" in the same journal in 2023, and "Indications for Preservation Rhinoplasty: Avoiding Complications" in Facial Plastic Surgery in 2021. The ORCID identifier 0000-0001-9761-695X links those records to a single author.
Academic background adds another verifiable layer. Dr. Sella completed a doctorate in Morphophysiology of Facial Structures at the Ribeirão Preto campus of the University of São Paulo in 2018, and taught otorhinolaryngology at university level for several years. Teaching activity outside Brazil is also checkable through congress programs, and the lectures page lists the invited faculty appearances.
Red flags worth noticing
- A surgeon who will not provide a CRM number in writing.
- A specialty claimed on the website that does not appear as an RQE in the council record.
- Surgery quoted and scheduled without any consultation, in person or by video.
- Prices advertised publicly, which Brazilian medical advertising rules do not allow.
- Promises of a guaranteed or risk free result.
- A hospital or clinic address that you cannot locate independently.
A legitimate consultation looks different. It takes time, includes an internal nasal examination, standardized photographs, digital simulation and an explanation of risks before any plan is agreed. That is the structure described on the rhinoplasty page, including the technique options such as preservation rhinoplasty.
Where the surgery happens
Credential checking should extend to the facility. In Maringá, Dr. Sella performs rhinoplasty at Saine Health Complex, a hospital with eleven operating rooms, adult and neonatal intensive care and intensivists on site around the clock. Procedures under local anesthesia may take place at the clinic. Knowing the hospital name in advance lets you verify it independently and plan your stay.
When to contact Dr. Sella
If you have gathered the numbers, read the publications and still have questions about whether your case is suitable, the next step is a consultation rather than more searching. An initial video consultation is available for patients living abroad, in Portuguese, English or Spanish, and the team can issue registration and specialty documentation in English or Spanish on request. Indication, risks and surgical plan are individual and defined only after an in-person or remote evaluation. You can reach the team through the contact page.
Otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon · CRM-PR 33.018 · RQE 17.984. PhD from FMRP-USP, founder of the Sella Learning Center. Updated on 2026-10-15.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CRM and RQE in Brazil?
The CRM is the license number that allows a physician to practice medicine in Brazil, issued by the state medical council. The RQE is a separate registration confirming a recognized medical specialty linked to that license. A surgeon should have both, and the RQE should match the specialty claimed.
Can I check a Brazilian surgeon's license from another country?
Yes. The CFM national portal and the state medical council websites are public and free, with no login required. You can search by name or by registration number from anywhere in the world and use browser translation if you do not read Portuguese.
What are Dr. Guilherme Sella's registration numbers?
Dr. Guilherme Constante Preis Sella holds CRM-PR 33.018 and RQE 17.984 in Otorhinolaryngology, with the specialist title granted by ABORL-CCF in 2014. His ORCID identifier is 0000-0001-9761-695X and his publications appear on PubMed under Sella GCP.
Does a surgeon need to be a plastic surgeon to perform rhinoplasty in Brazil?
No. In Brazil, rhinoplasty is performed by both otorhinolaryngologists and plastic surgeons, since the nose involves breathing function and facial appearance. What matters is a documented RQE in the relevant specialty plus specific training in nasal surgery.
Is society membership the same as a medical license?
No. Societies such as ABORL-CCF and the Brazilian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery indicate peer recognition and continuing education, while only the CRM authorizes practice. Check the license first, then use society membership and publications as additional context.
What documents can the clinic send me before I travel?
On request, the team can provide registration and specialty documentation in English or Spanish, information about the hospital where the surgery will take place, and the postoperative schedule. Documentation for insurance reimbursement requests is also provided when applicable.
How long does it take to verify a Brazilian doctor online, and is there any fee?
The search on the CFM national portal and on state CRM websites is public and free. You type the physician's name or CRM number and the system returns the registration status, the state of registration and any specialist titles with their RQE numbers. Most people complete the whole check in about fifteen minutes, without creating an account or paying anything.
What should I do if a surgeon refuses to give me a CRM and RQE number in writing?
Treat it as a reason to pause. These numbers are public information in Brazil and any licensed physician can share them by message or email without difficulty. If a clinic avoids the question, redirects you to photo galleries or answers only with follower counts and media mentions, you have no way to confirm who will operate on you.
How can I confirm that a surgeon actually publishes and teaches, not just advertises?
Search the surgeon's name on PubMed for indexed papers and look for an ORCID record, which links a researcher to their publications under a permanent identifier. Dr. Sella has six indexed papers and ORCID 0000-0001-9761-695X, plus a direct doctorate completed in 2018 at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo. Congress lectures and teaching positions can usually be confirmed on the websites of the societies and events themselves.
Does a Brazilian specialist title mean anything outside Brazil?
The RQE is a Brazilian registration and does not authorize practice in another country, but it is still the clearest proof that the training was completed and officially recognized. Some surgeons add international credentials, such as the European Board in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery certification held by Dr. Sella, which can be confirmed with the issuing board. If you need these documents for insurance or reimbursement, the team in Maringá can issue paperwork in English or Spanish on request.
Book a consultation with Dr. Guilherme Sella
In person in Maringá, Brazil, or by video consultation. English-speaking team.