What is a Surgeon?
A surgeon is a medical professional who has a medical degree that includes a specialty for particular organs or procedures. Their primary function is to conduct invasive, internal operations into a patient's body that correct various problems that arise from disease or injury. They might operate on a diseased heart, excise a brain tumor, or repair badly broken bones, among many other sorts of procedures. To perform these delicate operations, they rely on highly technical diagnostic information, as well as precision operating instruments. Surgeons do not perform routine physical examinations or other duties generally relegated to general practitioners. They do, however, work with patients.
Surgeons offer consultations with patients prior to their procedures, however, and may have their staff, or referred professionals, take diagnostic data from patients. The surgeon will review and analyze the data and imagery to determine how to best proceed when the operation begins.
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Step 1: Undergraduate Degree in Pre-Med
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Step 2: MCAT Exam
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Step 3: Medical School
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Step 4: Surgical Specialty and Residency
Step 1: Undergraduate Degree in Pre-Med
During your undergraduate years, you need to focus your work on pre-medical studies. Seek out a program that has the curriculum you need to gain admission and achieve success in medical school. After all, medical school admission standards are quite high, and you also must be prepared for success on the MCAT medical school admissions exam.
During your undergraduate years, one of the toughest courses you will take is Organic Chemistry. This is typically a lab science and is often considered a trial by fire for all future doctors. Your other coursework will likely include courses not limited to:
- General Chemistry
- Physics
- Vertebrate Anatomy
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
Step 2: MCAT Examination
As you near the end of your Pre-Medical training, you'll begin preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which determines medical school admissions, similar to the LSAT for law school. It's crucial to perform well on the MCAT. Pre-medical students usually take the MCAT after their Junior year, giving them time to apply in the fall and receive admission the following spring.
Start preparing for the MCAT as early as possible. Many preparation materials are available online, including free resources from Khan Academy, recommended by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Khan's videos cover topics like molecular biology, peptide bonds, isoelectric point, zwitterions, protein structures, and globular proteins.
The MCAT is one of the toughest admissions tests. Starting a study group early in your pre-med program can be helpful. You can also find tutors and tutoring services for preparation. The AAMC provides plenty of study resources on its website.
Step 3: Medical School
No two medical schools are exactly the same. Some offer tracks dedicated to medical technology while others offer a variety of experiential and purely academic enhancements. Your medical school experience will be four years of hard work during which time you will be prepared for your residency. Along the way, you might take courses that include, but are not limited to:
- Homeostasis, I & II
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior
- Professional Development
- Practice of Medicine
- Immunity and Disease
Step 4: Surgical Specialty and Residency
You will need to determine your specialty area around the time you complete medical school. If you are determined to be a surgeon, first assess yourself. You must be absolutely certain that you not only have a strong desire to be a surgical professional but that you have the personality that is best suited to that career. This process should begin in your first year of medical school, if not during your pre-medical years.
Once you are certain that you wish to be a surgeon and know precisely which area you wish to focus on, you should find the right residency program that will support your goals. Not only should you find programs that cover your specialty, but you should also find the mentors that will help mold your residency experience in precisely the way you wish.
Once you have completed your residency, you can move onward to find a job as a fully-fledged surgical specialist.
Surgeon Career & Salary
Where Might You Work?
Surgeons most frequently are affiliated with a hospital that houses their surgical theater. You might have your own offices either inside the hospital or nearby, but your employer is likely to be the hospital itself. Or you could have a private surgical practice; this is more common for surgeons who perform outpatient procedures. Oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, and ophthalmic practitioners frequently have stand-alone offices. These might be affiliated with larger health systems or hospitals. On the other hand, special circumstances might require that you use a hospital's special facilities.
While some surgeons perform operations on set schedules, many are called into operate on a moment's notice. No matter your specialty, you might have patients who experience emergencies and be called into surgery immediately.