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Can you be a surgeon?

Why is being a surgeon rarely ever thought about or too vague? Is it too hard and competitive? What medical school is the best? What are all the steps to be successful in this particular path?
#medicine #medicine #surgery #healthcare #hospital-and-health-care

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Estelle’s Answer

I am a gynecologic surgeon and have been in practice for 30 years. I truly enjoy my job and cannot imagine a more fulfilling occupation. Getting into medical school is about dedication and effort. If you can do well in college, you will be really well prepared for medical school. In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree. Any 4-year university should suffice.

Pick a college that suits your personality and a major that interests you. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.

Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.

Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters


During college study for and complete the MCAT. Apply to medical schools during your last year of college.

Medical school takes 4 years to complete.

After medical school physicians complete a residency for additional training. This lasts 5 years for general surgery and can be followed by an additional year or two of fellowship subspecialty training.
Totally worth the time and effort! Good luck to you.
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M. Christina’s Answer

Hi Zahraa,

I am not a surgeon but do work in the medical field. To be a surgeon you must finish your bachelor's degree at a 4 year college, then attend medical school (4 years), then complete a medical residency (at least 3 years) followed by another several years of fellowship. There are many medical schools to choose from, but the best way to start is to do well in your undergraduate studies and "pre-med" courses (you can still choose your own major, but would need to complete specific courses in order to qualify to apply to medical school). Med school applicants also need to do well on the MCAT (a standardized test) in order to apply. Once you are in med school you can choose your specialty track.


Hope that's a helpful start!

M. Christina recommends the following next steps:

Talk with your high school counselor about applying to 4 year universities for college if you have not already been accepted.
Once you are enrolled in college, there are counselors there who can help you get into the right classes so you can be ready and eligible to apply to medical school.
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Richard’s Answer

Other answers gave the steps to become a surgeon. As to which programs are the best, top schools include Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and University of California at San Francisco.
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