Steps to becoming a surgeon
High School
Apply for college
§College application
§Application fee
§SAT/ACT scores §Letters of recommendation §College Essays
*student’s should take rigorous courses such as AP/ Dual classes in high school to help them achieve in college.
§College application
§Application fee
§SAT/ACT scores §Letters of recommendation §College Essays
*student’s should take rigorous courses such as AP/ Dual classes in high school to help them achieve in college.
During University
Typical course pre-med :
§One year of General Chemistry with lab
§One year of Organic Chemistry with lab
§One year of Biology §One year of Physics §College level math
§One year of General Chemistry with lab
§One year of Organic Chemistry with lab
§One year of Biology §One year of Physics §College level math
Post University
Apply for medical school
§Take the MCAT examination §Fill out the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application.
§Send out letters of recommendation.
§Schedule interviews with the medical schools that contact you.
*Graduate from a four year University with a Bachelors in Science.
§Take the MCAT examination §Fill out the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application.
§Send out letters of recommendation.
§Schedule interviews with the medical schools that contact you.
*Graduate from a four year University with a Bachelors in Science.
During Medical School
§First two years of Medical School spent in classroom §During 2nd yr must take the first part of the three-part exam, the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE)
§3rd & 4th years of are "clinical" years. 3rd year students complete eight week rotations through various departments :
Internal Medicine
Surgery
Pediatrics
Psychiatry
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Family Medicine
§3rd & 4th years of are "clinical" years. 3rd year students complete eight week rotations through various departments :
Internal Medicine
Surgery
Pediatrics
Psychiatry
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Family Medicine
Post Medical School
Apply for Residency
§Medical residency training is required to practice as a physician in the United States, even for physicians who are fully licensed to practice medicine in other countries.
§Computer automated system matches Medical School students to Residency programs based on test scores and rank.
§Medical residency training is required to practice as a physician in the United States, even for physicians who are fully licensed to practice medicine in other countries.
§Computer automated system matches Medical School students to Residency programs based on test scores and rank.
Residency Categories
Residencies by specialty:
§Emergency Medicine- 3 to 4 yrs
§Family practice- 3 §Internal Medicine- 3
§Pediatrics- 3
§Obstetrics-Gynecology- 4
§Pathology- 4
§Psychiatry- 4
§General Surgery- 5
§Ophthalmology- 3
§Physical Medicine -4
§Emergency Medicine- 3 to 4 yrs
§Family practice- 3 §Internal Medicine- 3
§Pediatrics- 3
§Obstetrics-Gynecology- 4
§Pathology- 4
§Psychiatry- 4
§General Surgery- 5
§Ophthalmology- 3
§Physical Medicine -4
§Neurological Surgery- 6
§Transitional/Preliminary- 1
§Orthopedic Surgery- 5
§Otolaryngology- 5
§Urology- 5
§Plastic Surgery- 5 to 6 yrs
§Anesthesiology- 3
§Dermatology- 3
§Neurology- 3
§Diagnostic Radiology-4
§Radiation Oncology-4
§Transitional/Preliminary- 1
§Orthopedic Surgery- 5
§Otolaryngology- 5
§Urology- 5
§Plastic Surgery- 5 to 6 yrs
§Anesthesiology- 3
§Dermatology- 3
§Neurology- 3
§Diagnostic Radiology-4
§Radiation Oncology-4
General Surgery Residency
A sample curriculum:
1st yr - all surgical residents rotate through virtually every division of the department and various specialty departments
2nd yr- increased emphasis on the care of critically ill patients. Second-year residents also spend one week with board-certified surgeons in private practice.
3rd yr- Third-year resident in charge of the service throughout the rotation, making final disposition of patients and performing majority of the operations under the supervision of the fifth-year resident and faculty surgeon on the service.
2nd yr- increased emphasis on the care of critically ill patients. Second-year residents also spend one week with board-certified surgeons in private practice.
3rd yr- Third-year resident in charge of the service throughout the rotation, making final disposition of patients and performing majority of the operations under the supervision of the fifth-year resident and faculty surgeon on the service.
4th yr- the rotations focus largely on surgical specialty rotations with major operative experiences in
-cardiothoracic surgery
-gastroenterology
-vascular surgery
-pediatric surgery
-surgical oncology
-breast surgery
-trauma surgery
-transplant surgery
5th yr- residents rotate on general surgery and trauma, and services with administrative as well as clinical duties.
§The fifth-year resident performs the more intricate surgical procedures such as liver resection, advanced
laparascopic procedures, and appendectomies.
§At the completion of the fifth year, the chief resident has performed a minimum of 750 major operations and is eligible to sit for the American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination.
-cardiothoracic surgery
-gastroenterology
-vascular surgery
-pediatric surgery
-surgical oncology
-breast surgery
-trauma surgery
-transplant surgery
5th yr- residents rotate on general surgery and trauma, and services with administrative as well as clinical duties.
§The fifth-year resident performs the more intricate surgical procedures such as liver resection, advanced
laparascopic procedures, and appendectomies.
§At the completion of the fifth year, the chief resident has performed a minimum of 750 major operations and is eligible to sit for the American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination.
What is USMLE?
•The United States Medical Licensing Examination, or USMLE for short, is a three-part licensing examination that is required in order to receive a license to practice medicine within the United States and its territories.
Sample Image of Test
What is Fellowship?
•Graduate education, post-residency training period of 1-2 years in a sub-specialty.
- Allows a specialized physician to develop a particular expertise that may have a related sub-specialty board
-Often times fellowships are used to prepare for board certification
- Allows a specialized physician to develop a particular expertise that may have a related sub-specialty board
-Often times fellowships are used to prepare for board certification
Requirements for Surgical Fellowships
•Applicants submit a fellowship application Curriculum Vitae, and three letters of recommendation •ACGME (RRC) Approved Surgical Critical Care Fellowship -Length of training: 1 year
Requirements:
-Completion of General Surgery Residency
-Board eligible or Board certified General Surgeon or Surgical Subspecialty
Requirements:
-Completion of General Surgery Residency
-Board eligible or Board certified General Surgeon or Surgical Subspecialty
Board Certification
Certification for general surgery is offered through the American Board of Surgery (ABS). A qualifying test and a certifying test must be taken to receive final certification.
First test, writing component
The Test:
lasts for eight hours and has about 300 questions that cover basic surgical principles.
§1st- must have a medical license and have completed five years of residency.
§2nd-need at least 54 months of experience in surgery and must be certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS). §3rd- after qualifying exam, eligible to take the General Surgery Certifying Examination after 6 months
lasts for eight hours and has about 300 questions that cover basic surgical principles.
§1st- must have a medical license and have completed five years of residency.
§2nd-need at least 54 months of experience in surgery and must be certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS). §3rd- after qualifying exam, eligible to take the General Surgery Certifying Examination after 6 months
Second Exam, oral component
There are three portions of the test each of which lasts 30 minutes.
-Each part of the test typically covers four surgical cases. -This test is an oral one that primarily tests your ability to make good surgical decisions as you discuss general surgery topics with two examiners.
-Each part of the test typically covers four surgical cases. -This test is an oral one that primarily tests your ability to make good surgical decisions as you discuss general surgery topics with two examiners.
