6 answers
3
Questions
Asked
858 views
What should I learn about people now in high school to help me succeed in the field of surgery later in life?
Should I learn to always let people be right, or should I learn to listen to their opinions even if I don't agree with it?
Login to comment
5 answers
Updated
Deven’s Answer
You have a great career goal! To reach it, you should focus on your studies and also try to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds. This will help you understand and relate to them better, both in your work and in your personal life.
Updated
Franny’s Answer
Hi Ashlee,
It's fantastic that you have such a clear goal while still in high school. To become a successful surgeon, it's important to develop both strong academic and people skills early on.
Here are some key skills to focus on:
1. Communicate Clearly
Surgeons talk more than they operate. They need to:
- Explain complex medical issues in simple language
- Comfort scared or emotional patients
- Work well with nurses, doctors, and families
- Lead teams in high-pressure situations
Try joining debate, public speaking, theater, or student leadership activities to practice these skills.
2. Develop Empathy
Great surgeons understand their patients' emotional struggles, not just their medical issues. Practice:
- Listening without interrupting
- Seeing things from different perspectives
- Showing compassion, even when people are upset
Consider volunteering at hospitals, nursing homes, or community centers.
3. Understand Human Behavior
People often don't make logical decisions when scared. A good surgeon learns:
- Why people resist advice
- How stress affects behavior
- Family reactions to medical crises
- Building trust quickly
Taking psychology classes and observing different reactions can help.
4. Work With All Types of Personalities
You'll interact with many people, like nurses, anesthesiologists, and patients. Not everyone communicates the same way. Get involved in team sports, clubs, or part-time jobs to gain experience.
5. Be Open to Feedback
Top surgeons are always learning. They accept criticism without getting defensive. Practice:
- Asking how to improve
- Listening to feedback
- Admitting mistakes and learning from them
6. Build Emotional Resilience
Surgery is rewarding but can be stressful. Learn to:
- Manage stress
- Stay calm under pressure
- Recover from setbacks
- Keep going when things are tough
7. Develop Leadership Skills
Surgeons often lead teams. Leadership involves:
- Making decisions in uncertain situations
- Staying calm in emergencies
- Taking responsibility
- Helping the team succeed
Seek leadership roles in clubs, sports, or volunteer activities.
Academics are Important Too
Focus on subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, math, and English, which is crucial for communication and critical thinking.
One Last Tip
Many students focus only on science grades, but the best surgeons are also:
- Kind
- Curious
- Humble
- Dependable
- Great communicators
If you're in high school, spend as much time learning about people as you do on science. Technical skills can be taught later, but connecting with people is what makes a good surgeon exceptional.
It's fantastic that you have such a clear goal while still in high school. To become a successful surgeon, it's important to develop both strong academic and people skills early on.
Here are some key skills to focus on:
1. Communicate Clearly
Surgeons talk more than they operate. They need to:
- Explain complex medical issues in simple language
- Comfort scared or emotional patients
- Work well with nurses, doctors, and families
- Lead teams in high-pressure situations
Try joining debate, public speaking, theater, or student leadership activities to practice these skills.
2. Develop Empathy
Great surgeons understand their patients' emotional struggles, not just their medical issues. Practice:
- Listening without interrupting
- Seeing things from different perspectives
- Showing compassion, even when people are upset
Consider volunteering at hospitals, nursing homes, or community centers.
3. Understand Human Behavior
People often don't make logical decisions when scared. A good surgeon learns:
- Why people resist advice
- How stress affects behavior
- Family reactions to medical crises
- Building trust quickly
Taking psychology classes and observing different reactions can help.
4. Work With All Types of Personalities
You'll interact with many people, like nurses, anesthesiologists, and patients. Not everyone communicates the same way. Get involved in team sports, clubs, or part-time jobs to gain experience.
5. Be Open to Feedback
Top surgeons are always learning. They accept criticism without getting defensive. Practice:
- Asking how to improve
- Listening to feedback
- Admitting mistakes and learning from them
6. Build Emotional Resilience
Surgery is rewarding but can be stressful. Learn to:
- Manage stress
- Stay calm under pressure
- Recover from setbacks
- Keep going when things are tough
7. Develop Leadership Skills
Surgeons often lead teams. Leadership involves:
- Making decisions in uncertain situations
- Staying calm in emergencies
- Taking responsibility
- Helping the team succeed
Seek leadership roles in clubs, sports, or volunteer activities.
Academics are Important Too
Focus on subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, math, and English, which is crucial for communication and critical thinking.
One Last Tip
Many students focus only on science grades, but the best surgeons are also:
- Kind
- Curious
- Humble
- Dependable
- Great communicators
If you're in high school, spend as much time learning about people as you do on science. Technical skills can be taught later, but connecting with people is what makes a good surgeon exceptional.
Updated
Theresa’s Answer
Listening to others, even if you don't agree with them, is really important. It helps you understand them better. Asking questions about their beliefs can give you a good idea of why they think the way they do. Conversations are a two-way street, especially if you want to connect with someone as a whole person, like a surgeon does. They might be wrong, but they could also be right. So, try to listen as much as you talk—after all, that's why we have two ears and only one mouth!
Updated
Yvette’s Answer
This is such a good question because being a great surgeon isn’t only about being good at science! 🩺 Learning **how to listen, communicate, and work with different personalities** will help you a lot.
You don’t have to let people be right just to avoid disagreement. Instead, practice **listening to understand why they think differently**, then respectfully share your own perspective. In surgery, teamwork is huge, and sometimes another person may notice something you missed!
High school is actually a great place to practice this. Be curious about people, ask questions, and get comfortable saying, **“I see it differently, but I understand where you’re coming from.”** Being confident AND open-minded is a powerful combination! 😊
You don’t have to let people be right just to avoid disagreement. Instead, practice **listening to understand why they think differently**, then respectfully share your own perspective. In surgery, teamwork is huge, and sometimes another person may notice something you missed!
High school is actually a great place to practice this. Be curious about people, ask questions, and get comfortable saying, **“I see it differently, but I understand where you’re coming from.”** Being confident AND open-minded is a powerful combination! 😊
Updated
Andrea’s Answer
Great advice above - so mostly I want to second it. Cultivating the ability to listen to others and hear their perspective, even when you don't agree, is a HUGE life skill to have. Whether you go on to be a surgeon, an astronaut, president of the United States, a dog walker, etc. If you learn to actively listen to other people, hearing what they have to say without thinking about the next question you want to ask or already planning your response, you will have developed a skill that way too many people lack. In listening actively to others, you can learn so much. You may not change your mind but it will sharpen your point of view, add nuance, etc.
I'm pretty opinionated so I still have to work on this. But I'm learning to listen to others without feeling like I have to defend my views or be on guard. And that's been really useful.
Good luck!
I'm pretty opinionated so I still have to work on this. But I'm learning to listen to others without feeling like I have to defend my views or be on guard. And that's been really useful.
Good luck!