I found this resource published by the American College of Surgeons. If any of my readers, like me, are wondering about surgery, then click the image above to read through this guide. It’s targeted towards clerks, but even as an almost med. student I found it useful.
First it outlines some of the traits that make a good surgeon. These include a love for anatomy, comfort with three-dimensional imagery, a willingness to work long hours, and team leadership ability. Surgeons are the ones that want to physically “get in there” and “fix it”. It also dispels the myths that surgeons need unusual dexterity – surgeons are trained, not born – or that they must sacrifice their personal lives for the job.
Especially useful was the explanation of surgical specialties. There are explicit descriptions of what kind of patients each speciality deals with, what training is required for each specialty, and testimonies from current practitioners about what a career is like in that discipline.
On a personal note, this resource reinforced my desire to explore general surgery as an option for my residency. General surgeons perform a broad variety of procedures, and have the benefit of taking on diverse cases. They also get management for operations that involve multiple body-systems, like major trauma victims. In smaller communities, often a general surgeon is the only surgeon around, and hence serves an immensely valuable role.
