Last Updated on July 30, 2023
General surgeons are the specialists of the surgical team, who have the ability to perform all the surgical operations. They can perform the traditional surgery for heart, kidney, brain and other essential organs. These specialists should complete their academic education with residency and internship in surgery. They generally work in a hospital with emergency room or general ward for 24 hr. shift or even more
Want to be a general surgeon, here are information’s on How To Become A General Surgeon . before making up your mind, there are things to consider like; What subjects are needed to become a surgeon, General surgeon education requirements ,General surgeon education cost and most importantly General Surgeon salary.
A general surgeon is a physician who specializes in evaluating and treating a variety of conditions and diseases that may require surgical treatment.
How To Become A General Surgeon
The Route To General Surgery: 5 Steps Towards Becoming A General Surgeon
1. Apply for core surgical training (CT1- CT2)
After 2 years of foundation training, begins 2 more years of core surgical training. The aim of core training is to prepare trainees to enter their specialty of choice by acquiring basic surgical skills and other competencies. At the end of core surgical training you can still choose to specialise in any surgery type with the exception being neurosurgery, which is a predominantly ‘run through’ specialty.
Applications must be made via the NHS Oriel website and competition is strong. In 2019, there were 1,896 applicants for 648 posts across the UK.
General Surgery Run Through Training IST Pilot
In 2018, the Improving Surgical Training (IST) initiative introduced a general surgical run through programme. This programme is suited towards those who after foundation training already know that they wish to pursue a career in general surgery and do not feel that they need a taster in other surgical specialities that core surgical training would offer.
You enter the programme at a ST1 and must meet minimum requirements and pass an interview stage to progress to ST3. However, you are not competing against those joining general surgery specialty training from the core surgical training pathway.
Applications for this pathway are also made via the NHS Oriel website. As a new programme, competition ratios are yet to be published, but enhanced security of job progression into ST3, they are likely to be competitive posts.
2. Pass the MRCS exam
Trainees wishing to continue their surgical training at specialty level must complete their membership of the Royal College of Surgeons exam (MRCS) by the end of their CT2/ ST2 year.
3. Apply for specialty training in General Surgery
If you are on the core surgical training pathway, to obtain a speciality training post (ST3) in general surgery is an annual national recruitment process and highly competitive. In 2019 there were 428 applications for 198 places, with a competition ratio of 2.16:1. Competition ratios may change in the upcoming years with the introduction of IST pilots.
4. Specialty training in General Surgery (ST3-8)
Speciality training allows surgeons to perfect their general surgical skills whilst rotating in various subspecialties. During the 5 years of speciality training, many trainees take the time to complete an MD and PhD in an area of interest to make their applications more competitive for future consultant posts. In the final two years of higher surgical training, specialty trainees must take the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) exam.
5. Completion of training
On completion of specialty training, trainees are awarded a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR), they will be added to the GMC’s specialist register and will be eligible to apply for a consultant post or a fellowship for further, more specialised training.
Top tips for a competitive application
- Start early. Develop your practical skills and interest in surgery as early as you can. Keep a record of all surgeries you have attended online in eLogbook and keep it up to date- evidence is key.
- Be present. In a practical profession such as a surgeon, it is difficult to learn away from the operating theatre. Even if you are not scrubbed in, a lot can be learnt from close observation of your seniors.
- Develop your portfolio. Involve yourself in closed-loop audits as well as teaching and leadership roles. Make sure that everything you are part of is completed, and to a high standard as evidence of dedication to your work
Role of a general surgeon
A general surgeon’s responsibility may start with diagnosing a patient who has a condition that requires surgery. The surgeon may perform a physical exam and order various tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, in order to confirm a diagnosis.
When the surgeon determines surgery is needed, the physician must also decide if a patient is a good candidate for surgery. This means determining if the patient is healthy enough for surgery. Pre-operative tests, including blood work and an EKG, are often ordered to rule out health problems that may make surgery too risky to perform.
The types of surgeries a general surgeon may perform are quite varied and may include an appendectomy, hernia repair and gallbladder removal. General surgeons may also remove or repair parts of the abdominal organs, operate on breast tumors or skin cancers.
In addition to caring for patients pre-operatively and performing surgery, general surgeons also monitor patients post-operatively. Surgeons may examine patients’ incisions, monitor their recovery and manage any post-operative pain.
Administrative work, including managing the practice, charting and paperwork, is also a general surgeon’s responsibility. Educating other doctors, including residents, often becomes part of the job of a surgeon.
General surgeon education requirements
General surgeons must graduate from medical school, complete a general surgery residence, and obtain licensing. Their training requires at least 12 years of postsecondary education. Surgeons diagnose and repair diseases that require surgical intervention. To practice as a general surgeon, one must have a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree and state licensure which requires completion of a general surgery residency. Most general surgeons are also board certified, which requires passage of standardized examination by the American Board of Surgery (for MD’s), or the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery (for DO’s).
Training
Becoming a general surgeon is not the easiest or quickest medical specialty. After earning a four-year undergraduate degree and graduating from medical school, years of training are still ahead for general surgeons.
A minimum of a five-year general surgery residency will need to be completed. The residency must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. During that time, at least 750 operative procedures most be performed. In addition, a resident must complete a minimum of 25 cases in surgical critical care during their training.
During the five-year residency, surgical experience must be gained in areas including the abdomen, endocrine system, vascular surgery and solid organ transplant. In addition, experience in pediatric surgery, trauma, emergency surgery and critical care surgery must also be gained. After completing the residency and obtaining the required number of operative hours, physicians can apply to take an exam in order to become board certified in general surgery. General surgeons also need to become licensed in the state they wish to practice. State licensing requirements may vary.
General Surgeon Schooling
Following completion of high school, the path to becoming a general surgeon starts with earning a bachelor’s degree. Though technically not a requirement to get into medical school, most medical students have completed a bachelor’s degree. While a student’s undergraduate major is not necessarily important, the subjects needed to become a surgeon typically involve science, human anatomy, and pre-med studies. Students must also pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in order to be admitted to a medical school.
Medical school is generally a 4-year program. The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree program consists of two years of in-class work followed by two years of clinical rotations. During clinical rotations, students are exposed to a number of fields of medicine, including surgery. Surgical rotations provide students the opportunity to engage in surgical procedures. Following completion of a M.D. degree program, graduates interested in a career as a surgeon enter a general surgery residency.
General surgery residency programs typically last five years. These skill-enhancing, training programs are both didactic and clinical in nature. Residents continue with in-class work while sharpening their skills in the various aspects of general surgery. Many general surgery residencies also fulfill requirements for board certification.
general surgeon salary
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for general surgeons in the United States in 2012 was between $300,000 and $400,000 a year. Many factors determine a general surgeon’s salary. A physician’s length of experience in addition to the number of surgeries the doctor performs each year affect salary. Geographic location and the type of surgery practice also play a role in salary.
Some general surgeons decide to branch out and continue with their training in order to specialize in an additional type of surgery. After becoming board certified as a general surgeon, some doctors choose to complete an additional fellowship in a surgical subspecialty, such as thoracic, cardiac or pediatric surgery.
how much does it cost to become a general surgeon?
The first step that’s required for becoming a surgeon is to obtain an undergraduate degree. According to College Board’s 2018 published data, half of all full-time undergraduate students at both public and private institutions pay annual tuition and fees of $11,814 or less. Public four-year institutions charge an average tuition of $9,410 per year for in-state students and $23,890 for out-of-state students. Private colleges charge an average of $32,410 per academic year. Thus, the total cost to acquire a bachelor’s degree ranges from $37,640 to $129,640.
The second step required for becoming a surgeon is the completion of four years of medical school. As with undergraduate programs, the cost of attending a public medical school is much lower than going to a private one. While specific tuition costs vary widely from institution to institution, the Association of American Medical Colleges tracks statistics for the average cost of public and private medical colleges. The public in-state average tuition per year, according to 2016-2017 figures, was $53,327, and the average for out-of-state students was $92,808. For private medical colleges, annual tuition for the same academic year was $61,428.
Working conditions
General surgeons work in hospitals and medical centers of all sizes. They may also work in outpatient surgery centers. Although some surgeries are scheduled, general surgery can also be an emergency. Surgeons may be required to work all shifts, including overnight, weekends and holidays. In some cases, general surgeons may need to be on-call in case of surgical emergencies.
Although they spend a lot of their working hours in the operating room, surgeons also make rounds in all areas of the hospital. They will also usually spend some time seeing patients in their offices.
Benefits and disadvantages
General surgery can be an interesting medical specialty to pursue. General surgeons often perform a wide variety of surgeries, which can make the job interesting and challenging.
Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities for surgeons to learn new things. New equipment and techniques are continually developing, which creates lifelong learning opportunities. For instance, advances in laparoscopic and robotic surgeries are areas general surgeons can study and learn to perform.
Another perk of working as a general surgeon is knowing what a difference you are making. General surgeons can save someone’s life with a procedure or improve a patient’s level of functioning or quality of life. Having the opportunity to greatly impact another person’s life is often very rewarding.
As in all areas of medicine, there are some negative aspects of working as a general surgeon. Some patients may not survive surgery, or it may not improve their condition, which can be emotionally tough to handle. Surgical emergencies can be very stressful and patients’ lives may literally be in your hands. That type of responsibility can be overwhelming at times.
Another possible disadvantage is general surgeons often work a lot of hours. As medical specialties go, surgery is often unpredictable, and days can be extremely long. It can be difficult to plan other activities if you don’t know when you will get finished with surgery and be able to leave the hospital.
Traits needed
Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor, and not all doctors can be surgeons. You need to be someone who works well under pressure and can solve problems quickly. Complications, which can be life threatening, can develop during surgery and surgeons need to determine the cause and act quickly.
A general surgeon also needs to work well as part of a team. Surgeons don’t work alone. In the operating room, there will be assisting surgeons, nurses and possibly surgical technicians. Having good communication skills and being able to lead effectively are also required skills for surgeons.
Surgeons also need to have stamina. Surgeries can take several hours. You will be standing on your feet and need to stay focused for hours at a time. Surgery also requires a steady hand, excellent eye-hand coordination and dexterity.
how many years to become a general surgeon
To become a general surgeon, you’ll need four years of college, four years of medical school, and a minimum of five years of residency. You’ll also require a license to practice in your state. There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a General Surgeon.
