Surgeon

This career is for an individual with strong leadership qualities, some of which include self motivation, decisiveness and compassion. He needs to have the passion for saving lives and working for humanity. A surgeon saves lives by making quick critical decisions under intense pressure. Surgeons are stereotyped to be the absolute authority in the operating room, and the nurse staff, technicians and anesthetists look up to them for leadership.

Surgeons must be steadfast, capable of withstanding the pressure of long working hours & must strive for continuous medical education to keep themselves updated. A great deal of physical and mental stamina is therefore required in this profession. Additionally, surgeons should have an extraordinary co-ordination between their eyes and hands. They must be willing to take risks and handle difficult situations involving life and death. They must pay attention to detail because a simple mistake can prove to be lethal in the operating room.

Surgeons must be team players because the health of a patient is monitored by a team of healthcare workers including surgeons, physicians and other health professionals.

A surgeon is a doctor who has specialized to operate on patients to treat diseases, repair injuries or improve health. Before operating, surgeons need to examine and diagnose their patients in order to conclude whether surgery is required or necessary. They must consider the risks involved in the particular surgical procedure & counsel their patients accordingly.

Surgeons have several subcategories. Neurosurgeons operate on the brain & spinal cord; cardiothoracic surgeons operate on the heart, lungs and other organs in the chest; orthopedic surgeons operate on bones and joints while plastic surgeons perform surgeries that are needed for cosmetic restoration. General surgeons, on the other hand, are trained to perform many types of surgeries mostly related to the abdomen, but not the highly specialized type of surgeries.

Surgeons use a variety of instruments and tools to perform operations. Usually an incision is made on the patient’s body, the organ repaired or removed, and the incision stitched back up to provide complete recovery.

Medical schools in countries like India, Pakistan and U.K. provide M.B.B.S. degrees and have five to six year programs. Schools in the U.S.A., however, require a prior Bachelor’s (with majors in science related subjects) and have a four year program that gives out M.D. degrees.

After medical school, a student is usually required to apply for internships and residencies which provide on-site training. Surgical residency programs last five years but can range from 3 to 8 years. Surgeons are also required to take licensing examinations which certifies them in their field of specialization. Fellowships may be a prerequisite in some areas of surgeries.

Income varies according to specialty, location & reputation. Surgeons in the US on an average earned $219,770 in 2009 but the range follows $100,000 to $600,000. Salaries for specialist fields tend to be higher, with neurosurgery being the highest. In India, a surgeon may expect salaries between Rs. 200,000 to Rs. 2,400,000.

Surgeons mostly spend their time in an operating room, either in a hospital or their own private center.
The rest of the time may be spent in the outpatient departments, where pre and post-op patients come for consultation. Additionally, surgeons need to attend wards to follow up on their patients. Surgeons usually work for 4-5 days a week and follow a regular schedule sometimes working more than 40-50 hours per week. Usually 3 days of the week are booked for surgeries, and 2 days for consultations.

Emergency situations may call for round the clock availability. They must be prepared for on-call duties, which may require night shifts at the hospital. Case load may vary, depending on popularity of the surgery in question and experience. Surgeons may perform from 150 up to 500 or more surgeries in a year, averaging around 300.

Surgeons are also responsible for administrative matters such as maintaining patient records and making progress notes. Those who own their own private practice must manage business related issues as well.

Job outlook for a surgeon is anticipated to be very good. Surgery is amongst the highest paid professions around the globe. Benefits include membership of various Boards and Academies, health & life insurance, pensions & bonuses, paid holidays & vacations.

In addition to financial stability, there is immense personal satisfaction in the job. Surgeons, by saving lives, are positively contributing to humanity. Over time, surgeons can become teachers and spread their knowledge to aspiring doctors.

Firstly, because medicine is a highly competitive field, acceptance into medical school may be difficult. Surgeons may be required to work long, irregular hours and there is no flexibility in the work schedule. Personal and social life may be affected by the workload. Urgent situations & emergencies may lead to sleepless nights.

Because of the ever growing world of medicine, surgeons need to keep abreast with latest developments, and must be willing to study throughout their life. It may take many years of education and training to establish a career in this field.

Competition for medical school and surgical residency programs is extremely fierce. Only those who are strong in all aspects- academics & extracurricular should be encouraged to apply. That being said, employment opportunities are projected to increase rapidly (22%) over the next few years largely because of expansion of the health-care industry. Secondly, as the population grows and ages, health requirements rise substantially. Surgeons who specialize in diseases of the elderly are in great demand.

Openings may also result from the expected retirement of experienced surgeons and physicians in this decade, warranting a need for replacement. Job prospects are especially good in rural and low income areas. Statistics suggest that in 2008, physicians and surgeons held approximately 661,400 jobs.

Opportunities for surgeons and doctors are promising in countries like USA, UK & Australia. In addition, certain countries like Canada, Ireland, and Germany are increasing openings for aspiring surgeons.