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What degree do you need to become a surgeon?

what degree do you need to become a surgeon

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Jasheah’s Answer

Hello Alexia,

Great question!

If you would like to be a surgeon, this is a bareboned answer to how you can get there:

1. First, you earn a bachelors degree. It does not matter what you get your bachelors degree in, however, it is recommended to get a STEM degree that has the pre-requisites required for you to get into medical school. Degrees that come with necessary pre-requisites for medical school are usually a B.S (Bachelors of Science) in Biology / Biological sciences, B.S. in Chemistry and B.S. in Nursing. However you can study literally any degree, even the ones that do not have the pre-requisites already in the curriculum, such as finance or history or German. You can opt to take the pre-requisites for medical school, even if they are outside of your curriculum. For example, if you study computer science, organic chemistry may not be in the curriculum for computer science, however, it is a required pre-requisite for medical school. You can still sign up and take organic chemistry in your school and this will count towards your medical school application. If you are interested in STEM, I recommend getting a computer science / engineering degree because you can use this degree right out of college and it can help to prepare you for medical school. I also recommend a nursing degree because you can graduate from your bachelors as a nurse, obtain an RN license and you will be well-equipped to hit the ground running in medical school.

2. After you get your Bachelors, you will need to apply for medical school. Other requirements for medical school other than those pre-requisite courses that I mentioned before include the MCAT exam (requires a good amount of studying, however, a B.S. in Biology / Biological Sciences or Chemistry are great at preparing you for these exams), essays and more (requirements vary based on medical school). When in medical school, everyone will study the same general medical knowledge for 4 years and then based on how well you do and what residencies you apply for and get accepted to, will determine the field of medicine you will work in (what kind of doctor you will become ). There are many types of doctors that you can become including a surgeon, pediatrician, psychiatrist and the list continues). *Residencies are medical internships / trainings that allow you to specialize in a particular field of medicine, whether it be surgery or pediatrics. The residencies for surgery tend to be the longest in duration, when compared to pediatrics and others, as they require a lot of training and practice.

Thank you for reading and good luck!
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Ariel’s Answer

You can get any degree in undergraduate, although many students get degrees in biology, chemistry, and other fields that are part of a standard pre-medical track. Then, after undergraduate, you have to study for and pass the MCAT-- a standardized entrance exam to get into medical school-- and THEN go to medical school! From there your specialty will matter a bit more, but by then you may also have discovered you have a passion for something completely different, so keep your mind open! :)
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Garrett’s Answer

College then medical school and then residency of 5 years with possible sub specialty training afterward.
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