What Does It Take To Be A Surgeon?

The path to becoming a surgeon is a long one. First you must obtain a bachelor's degree while taking at least 2 semesters each of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and math, plus an English course. Medical school lasts for another 4 years. In medical school, the first two years are mainly book learning, while the final two years consist of clinical rotations in the various medical specialties (ob/gyn, cardiology, etc). Finally, after medical school, the residency for general surgery lasts 5 years. If you want to do a surgical sub-specialty (neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery), it requires about another 2 years. You still practice medicine during residency, but only under the supervision of seasoned doctors who are teaching you what you need to know about surgery, so that one day you will be able do it on your own. Becoming a general surgeon takes 13 long, arduous years, but it is an obtainable goal.