A career in surgery is often seen as prestigious and exciting, attracting practitioners who enjoy a challenging, fast-paced environment. If you find joy in solving complex problems, thrive in high-pressure situations, and work hard to maintain emotional resilience, this career path could be the perfect choice for you. However, it is a demanding career that is not right for everyone. Before committing to years of intensive training, it’s best to ask yourself, “Is a career in surgery right for me?”
What Does a Surgeon Do?
Surgeons are highly trained medical specialists who perform a wide variety of operations to treat injuries, diseases, and physical deformities. They work alongside multidisciplinary teams in hospitals, private practices, and surgical centers, playing a hands-on role in patient care.
If you’re considering a surgical career, you might be curious about the daily responsibilities of these medical professionals. Below are a few things you might encounter in this multifaceted role.
Daily Tasks
As a surgeon, you may conduct comprehensive consultations to evaluate a patient’s medical condition, assess imaging and bloodwork results, and discuss treatment options. It’s your job to clearly communicate the risks, benefits, and recovery process to help your patient make informed decisions regarding their care.
Depending on your surgical specialty, you might perform minimally invasive procedures or highly complex operations requiring precision, acute decision-making skills, and continuous adaptability. Following surgical procedures, you’ll participate in post-operative care. You can expect to oversee the recovery process, including monitoring for potential complications, managing pain, and providing referrals to appropriate rehabilitation or physical therapy specialists.
Many surgeons also participate in outreach projects, education, and medical research to stay up-to-date on cutting-edge surgical techniques and engage with the broader medical community.
Different Types of Surgical Specialties
Although becoming a general surgeon allows you to be somewhat of a “jack-of-all-trades” when it comes to surgical procedures, it isn’t your only option. You can focus on a surgical specialty of your choice during your residency and your fellowship, should you choose to pursue one. This gives you the opportunity to become an expert in specific body systems, common injuries and conditions related to those systems, and the surgical procedures that can help cure, treat, or minimize them.
Here’s a brief overview of common surgical specialties and the body systems they involve:
- General surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for a wide range of conditions across the entire body, with a concentration on minimally invasive and robotic surgery, biliary diseases, and hernia. This specialty has its own residency.
- Cardiothoracic surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the heart and lungs. This specialty has its own residency after the general surgery residency.
- Colon and rectal surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the perianal area, anal canal, rectum, and colon, and helps to treat other conditions of the intestinal tract. This specialty requires a fellowship after the general surgery residency.
- Gynecology and obstetrics: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the female reproductive system, expectant mothers, fetuses, and newborn babies. This specialty has its own residency.
- Gynecologic oncology: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for cancer related to the female reproductive system. This specialty requires a fellowship after a gynecology and obstetrics residency.
- Neurosurgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. This specialty has its own residency.
- Ophthalmic surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the eyes. This specialty has its own residency.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the mouth, jaw, and face. This specialty usually requires a residency after dentistry training or a plastic surgery fellowship.
- Orthopedic surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles. This specialty has its own residency.
- Otolaryngology surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the head and neck. This specialty has its own residency.
- Pediatric surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for infants and children. This specialty requires a fellowship after the general surgery residency.
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for cosmetic and reconstruction purposes. This specialty has its own residency or requires a fellowship after the general surgery residency.
- Urology surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the urogenital tract, including kidneys, bladder, and prostate. This specialty has its own residency.
- Vascular surgery: Focuses on providing surgical intervention for conditions related to the blood vessels. This specialty has its own residency or requires a fellowship after the general surgery residency.
If you’re unsure which specialty would be the best fit for you, we recommend checking out our blog post Types of Surgeons: What Field of Surgery Is Right For You?
Essential Qualities and Skills for a Surgeon
Before answering the question, “Should I become a surgeon?” it's important to understand the qualities needed to be a successful surgical professional.
Technical Skills and Analytical Thinking
In order to be a proficient surgeon, you must have a steady hand and be comfortable quickly adapting to changing situations. This career demands a high degree of manual dexterity and precision, as a single mistake can change the course of your patient’s life and your career. You’ll have plenty of time to refine and assess your fine motor skills in surgical training during the Clinical Sciences portion of medical school.
Being a surgeon also requires quick decision-making skills and adept analytical thinking. Unexpected complications may arise during surgical procedures, and you must maintain your composure as you assess rapidly evolving conditions in a high-stakes environment.
Emotional Resilience and Stamina
Among the personality traits required to be a surgeon are patience, stamina, and resilience. As a surgeon, you can expect to work long hours under demanding conditions. Some complex procedures can take 16 hours or more, so you must have healthy coping mechanisms in place to help you manage emotionally taxing situations.
Communication and Teamwork
Seamless collaboration is an essential element of surgery. You’ll work with nurses, physician assistants, anesthesiologists, and other specialists to provide comprehensive care during operations, in hospital and clinical settings. Effective communication must extend beyond the operating room as well. You should be able to explain the details of complex procedures to patients and their family members in ways that they can understand, while also providing reassurance during times of high anxiety.
At AUC, you can enjoy small incoming class sizes in most cohorts1 small class sizes that foster strong mentorship and teamwork skills early in your medical training.
1 Based on January and May incoming classes from 2023-24, as compared to average class sizes for U.S. medical schools. The September cohort was larger than average.
Educational Pathway to Becoming a Surgeon
As you weigh the question, “Should I become a surgeon?” consider the rigors of medical training, including:
Undergraduate Education
An undergraduate degree program with a strong foundation in science can set you up for success in medical school. As long as you complete your pre-medical coursework, you don't have to pursue a specific major. Some schools may prefer applicants who choose a scientific major, so make sure to closely review the admission requirements for your desired school.
During your undergraduate training, consider participating in extracurricular activities that can strengthen your medical school application. Engaging in research, shadowing surgeons, and showing initiative in leadership roles and community service programs can all help you stand out from other applicants.
Medical School and Surgical Training
Medical school consists of four years of intensive training. The first two years cover medical sciences, where you’ll be exposed to in-depth, classroom-based material such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. During years three and four, you’ll participate in hands-on training in core clinical and elective rotations. You may rotate through various specialties, including surgery, to gain a wide range of experience.
AUC offers early clinical exposure, so you have the opportunity to develop hands-on skills sooner than students enrolled at some other universities. These rotations take place at affiliated medical centers in the U.S. and U.K., giving you access to real-world medical settings and a competitive edge when applying to surgical residency programs.
Residency and Fellowship
Once you’ve earned your Doctor of Medicine, you’ll refine your skills in a surgical residency program lasting five to seven years. During your residency, you will perform surgical procedures under graduated levels of direct supervision, participate in research projects, and serve in various leadership and educational roles.
Residencies are highly competitive, requiring a rigorous application and matching process. AUC supports students throughout the journey by offering personalized guidance, mock interviews, application assistance, and one-on-one mentorship programs. In 2024, hundreds of AUC graduates entered 22 specialty fields in 38 U.S. states and territories.
Challenges and Rewards of a Surgical Career
Still asking yourself, “Should I be a surgeon?” Consider the many advantages, as well as the disadvantages, of a career in surgery.
Challenges
A surgical career involves a lengthy training process, physically and mentally demanding schedules, and a high level of emotional resilience. This field isn’t for the faint of heart. You must prepare yourself to work grueling hours and encounter occasional worst-case scenarios.
Rewards
Despite the challenges of a surgical career, this path leads many to personal and professional fulfillment. As a successful surgeon, you may enjoy enhanced job security and financial stability. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for surgeons in the U.S. in 2023 ranges from $78,000 to $239,200.2 But it isn’t all about the numbers. Surgeons also make a tangible difference in their patients’ lives.
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2023). The 10th percentile figure reasonably represents entry level wages. BLS wages are national estimates and are not specific to graduates of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. Wages may vary by state or region. No guarantee is made that a person who enrolls at AUC will obtain a job or earn the estimated salaries.
Self-Assessment: Is Surgery the Right Path for You?
A self-assessment may help you make your decision. Here are some key qualities and personality traits needed to become a successful surgeon:
- Desire and ability to complete years of medical training
- Quick decision-making and problem-solving skills
- Emotional resilience and stress management
- Physical stamina and endurance
- Strong manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination
- Effective communication and collaborative skills
- Passion for lifelong learning
- Desire to help patients
If you’re still unsure about your potential as a surgeon, consider shadowing surgeons in various specialties, volunteering at a local hospital, or joining a pre-med organization to gain a solid understanding of the field. AUC is committed to helping students determine the right medical path and to offering resources like mentorship programs, hands-on clinical experiences, and other valuable support services.
Should You Be a Surgeon?
Becoming a surgeon requires commitment, focus, and a number of lifestyle considerations unique to the medical field. You must complete rigorous training, vie for spots in competitive residency programs, and pass comprehensive board exams before earning the title of attending surgeon. Despite the demanding nature of the medical field, a career in surgery could offer personal fulfillment and financial rewards that may be hard to achieve in other specialties.
AUC’s MD program can give you a strong foundation in medical sciences and clinical practice, lending a competitive edge when the time comes to apply for residency. Through hands-on training, global clinical rotations, and dedicated residency support, we prepare students for the rigors of residency in any specialty, including surgical specialties! Contact us to learn more or complete our admissions assessment to begin your journey to a successful career in surgery!
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