Did you know in the coming years the need for surgeons is expected to rise by 18%? This is a great sign for you if you considering going into the medical industry as a surgeon.
Becoming a surgeon is not an easy task and requires lots of time and determination. It’s a hard but rewarding job.
If your dream job is working in a hospital, you’ve come to the right place. We are going to tell you everything you need to know before starting your surgeon career.
Surgeon Responsibilities
Your job as a surgeon will be to use your expert knowledge and experience to help patients with their diseases and illnesses. Besides surgeries, you’ll diagnose patients and explain to them the process starting with surgery prep and ending with recovery.
You’ll be responsible for prescribing their medication and following up on post-operation recovery. You will likely continue studying and researching to improve medical techniques and further advance patient care.
Becoming a Surgeon
The first step to your surgeon career is obtaining an undergraduate degree. While a specific degree isn’t required, you’ll need to take a variety of science and math classes along with social studies and English.
You’ll then take the MCAT and apply to medical schools. Medical schools are very competitive and consider more than just your grades.
They also look at your extracurriculars such as volunteering. Most schools require an interview, and that’s where they will consider your communication skills and personality.
After you graduate from medical school, you have anywhere from three to seven years of internships and residency. The amount of time depends on the specialty you choose. In these years you’ll be in the classroom, labs, and shadowing other doctors and medical professionals.
You then must become licensed. You must complete the steps above before getting licensed. Passing a national standardized test is the next step.
There are two different tests depending on what school and degree you graduated with. The first is the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination, which is required to become an M.D. and the second is the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination, which you will take to become a D.O.
They are almost the same in terms of schooling and training expect, D.O.s earned a degree in Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine and are required to complete 200 extra hours of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). If you choose OMM, you’ll primarily be working with the muscles and skeletal system.
Cost and Salary
The cost of medical school can be overwhelming. Depending on the school you choose, you can expect to pay anywhere from $150,000 to $260,000 for tuition for four years.
However, don’t let these numbers stop you from completing your dream of working on the surgery floor. The salary of a surgeon averages about $208,000 as one of the top-paid professions.
Your Surgeon Career
When you are looking at the requirements, the time commitment, and the money that is needed to start your surgeon career, you may feel discouraged, but trust us: all your hard work will pay off.
We hope this article helped you understand the process that you will go through to start your surgeon career. If so, check out our page for more information and advice.