What education and training is required to become a surgeon?

Answer

You have to complete four years of undergraduate school and obtain a bachlors degree. Then you have to be accepted into a medical school and complete another four years. Then after that, you have to be accepted into a surgeon residency program that last up to four more years so.....its a long journey but a very rewarding job that pays well. $$$$$$

Answer

It should take about 10-12 years or so

Answer

1. College: A BS or BA is required to get into medical school.

• Your academic adviser will be able to help you choose courses relevant to your interests. Most likely you'll end up taking a lot of chemistry and a lot of biology. This was the most difficult leg of my education. Organic Chemistry II and Calculus II in one semester was very difficult

• You need to maintain a high GPA throughout college. Generally 3.36+. Most medical schools have the average GPA of admitted students published as a sort of guide.

• You will need to take the MCAT. The MCAT is a standardized exam that tests you on, basically, everything you've learned in college. The higher the MCAT score the better.

• -A BS degree seems to pique the interest of the powers that be in med. school rather than a BA.

2. Medical School: You apply by mailing your portfolio which should include all relevant information such as college transcripts, MCAT score, letters of recommendation etc. You will be interviewed --usually by a panel of at least a few people-- and pending that interview a decision will be made.

3. Succeed in medical school: An often overlooked step! Your first two years will be the most intense. It's not so much that the material is difficult it's the sheer volume of information that you'll need to learn that makes it rough. The last two years will be spent doing clinicals with minor amounts of classroom time. Minor only when compared to your previous 2 years :)

4. Graduation: At this point you are a physician! Congratulations! Your friends/family are now allowed to call you Dr. whatever MD. You work is still far from over...

5. General Surgery Residency: Most surgical residencies are 5 years although some 3 years gen. surgical residencies do exist. You must apply to a hospital and be selected to begin this leg. The first 2 years are spent learning a broad range of surgical procedures from various different fields. The third year is when you should have to decide on your specialty. The third through fifth years will be spent much in the same way as your first two years with the exception that your duties will slowly gravitate toward your specialty of choice.

6. Fellowship: 3-5 years. "I can see clearly now the rain is gone..." This is it! The last leg of your journey to become a surgeon! Your fellowship is obtained by applying to and being accepted in a surgical specialty residency. My choice was Cardiothoracic Surgery. I spent just over 3 years before I was 'set free'.

7. Profit: Recruiters begin to beat on your door. They want you at their hospital and will do almost anything to get you there. This is where you get to do a little negotiation and profit from your years of education and work. This is the point in your career when you make big bucks and get 4mo. or so of vacation.

Total it all up.

• 4years Bachelor's Degree
• 4years Medical School
• 5years General Surgical residency
• 5years Fellowship

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14 years.

As a side note your education will never end. You'll be required by law to attend regular refresher courses / seminars etc. until the day you retire.

It's totally worth it. Worth every second. A career in medicine is by far the most rewarding career you'll ever have.

You need 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school and 3-8 years of internship.

First answer by ID3331471422. Last edit by Coopcoop. Contributor trust: 6 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 19 [recommend question]