The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has published a series of questions designed to help medical students to identify whether a career in surgery might be the right path to follow:

• Do you appreciate working as a team member?
• Do you enjoy watching your patients improve daily after major injuries or surgical procedures?
• Do you embrace responsibility and the opportunity to make a positive impact?
• Do you excel at problem solving and have the ability to think on your feet?
• Do you feel intrigued by the challenge of managing multiple physiological and psychological problems in your critically ill surgical patients?
• Do you share the excitement of a surgical team anticipating a great case?
• Do you enjoy the challenges of acquiring new technical skills and understanding new technologies?

If the majority of your answers to those questions is “yes”, becoming a surgeon might be the right pathway to follow. The ACS would then encourage you to look at the different aspects of being a surgeon.

According to the ACS, surgeons are trained, not born. The surgical culture is one of continuous improvement, and is a lifelong process. First, students have to determine whether they love being in the operating theatre.

The ACS notes that:

• Some of the most revered surgeons were not known for their dexterity when they were medical students or residents
• Factors such as intelligence, professionalism, conscientiousness, creativity, courage and perseverance may outweigh the small differences in dexterity among most medical students
• In theatre an element of flexibility is essential as a surgeon’s day is often unpredictable
• Often students who enjoyed learning anatomy and are comfortable with 3D imagery tend to like being in the operating theatre
• Surgeons need to be responsible for leading the theatre team
• Surgical training can involve longer hours than other medical specialties

More articles and resources on My Health Career:

• Pathway infographic on how to become a surgeon
• Are surgeons really arrogant, or is it just that they aren’t “agreeable?”
• New medical school in Western Australia the “worst decision in decades”
• Mentoring in medicine – by Dr Rachel Collings

Image: tpsdave – pixabay