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Careers / Surgeons |
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| Happiness Index |
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| Users in this Career Group |
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| There are 4738 users in this career group. They represent 48 different countries. You can see the list of users in this career group by clicking on one of the links below. You can also join this career group simply by selecting your current status and clicking "Add Me." |
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33 users are currently in this career. |
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159 users are considering this career. |
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6 users left or retired from this career. |
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4540 users have hidden memberships. |
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| (Hidden users have added this career to their portfolios, but have not indicated a publicly visible status.) |
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| Reviews |
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| There
is 1 review of this career. |
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| Write an online review and share your thoughts about this career with others! |
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Author: |
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Anonymous |
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Date: |
January 13, 2007 |
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I currently work as a General and Trauma Surgeon in an urban hospital.
What is a General Surgeon?
The field of General Surgery has changed greatly over the years. At one time, the General Surgeon did everything. They performed operations for Gastrointestinal, Vascular, Thoracic, Gynecologic, Pediatric, and Aesthetic indications. Nowadays, the bulk of General Surgery consists of operations on the gastrointestinal tract, the breast, the skin and soft tissues, and traumatically injured patients. Some of the more common operations we perform are for the treatment of gallbladder disease, breast cancer, hernias, and appendicitis. As the number and type of surgical specialists has increased over the years, the scope of General Surgery has become narrower. Nevertheless, the further you are from urban areas, the more likely you are to have a broader scope of practice.
What is a Trauma Surgeon?
Trauma Surgeons are doctors with training in General Surgery who have a special interest in the care of injured patients. Trauma remains the number one cause of death for kids, adolescents, and people in their 20s. The types of injuries range from motor vehicle crashes to falls to penetrating trauma like gun shots and stabs. Not all injured patients need operations, so the field of Trauma Surgery includes the a lot of cases where no operation is performed.
What should you do if you are considering this career?
First of all, you need to have a good background in the basic sciences (physics/biology/chemistry). Obviously, you will need to take all of the core "Pre-Med" courses during undergraduate school. You need to go to medical school after that and then complete a residency in General Surgery.
Do not plan on becoming a General/Trauma Surgeon because you think it is glamorous/sexy/exciting. There is nothing glamorous about being a grownup sleeping in a tiny call room at the hospital waiting for the next drunk driver to roll in so that you can "treat" him. You should consider this career if you are interested in treating people with some of the conditions I listed above. For every gun shot wound to the inferior vena cava I treat (the inferior vena cava, or IVC, is a major vein that sits at the back of the abdomen) I admit and treat about 20-30 other people who fell down while drunk, were hit by a car, or were in a motor vehicle crash.
Would I choose this career if I had it to do all over again?
No. I do not like being away from my family. I do not like the unpredictability of Trauma/General Surgery. I DO enjoy many of the operations that I get to perform, but I enjoy time with my family much more. My life was never going to be about my career. Unfortunately, this career choice demands a certain amount of that time I would like to spend with my wife and children. I am never totally off, except when I am on vacation. I do not like staying up all night, frequently, and then having to work all day the next day.
What are the pros?
It is a steady job with a decent salary. I get to perform operations. It is a career where I truly get to help people and see the results of my intervention almost right away (the bleeding stops, the hole in the intestine is repaired, etc.).
What are the cons?
The hours. The hours. I tell the students that they should be wary of careers where you have to sleep and shower where you work (unless of course, you are a professional athlete). The reimbursement in health care is diminishing and it is making it harder and harder to make a decent living as a Trauma/General Surgeon.
Another major con is that I have a hard time letting go of what is going on at work. This is probably my problem, not the career's. Taking care of very sick people can drain you if you let it. I take it very hard when someone does poorly after an operation, even when it is no fault of mine. It is hard to tell young people they have breast cancer. It is hard to tell someone mother that their son or daughter will most likely die because of the terrible injury they have sustained. My interactions with patients and their families are frequently short, but I often feel the effects of taking care of sick people and their families for a long time.
That is just my $.02. Thanks for listening. |
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| Interesting Fact |
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| Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service. |
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| Did you know... |
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| The MyPlan.com Graduate School Database provides detailed profiles on more than 1,800 different graduate schools in the U.S. |
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