The following article is a short synopsis of the salary, job description, and educational requirements of a general surgeon.
Surgeons are doctors who are qualified to operate on the bodies of patients, in order to treat diseases, repair injuries, correct deformities, and to improve the overall health. They examine the patients, study the diagnosis, and then arrive upon a suitable procedure for treating a specific health condition. They use a wide number of surgical instruments. As the salary of a surgeon is pretty high, this makes it one of the most lucrative fields to enter.
Education and Other Requirements
To become a surgeon, the preparation should start at the school level itself. You should have mastery over subjects like physics, biology, and chemistry. After finishing your high school, you need to take admission in a four-year bachelor’s degree course. Your major should be in a subject like physics or biology. During your college years, take up a part-time job in the medical field as such an experience helps in getting admission to a reputed medical school. Also, participate in extra-curricular activities as medical schools prefer candidates with a well-rounded personality. In addition to this, a good score in the Medical College Admission Test i.e. MCAT, will help you get admission in a medical college which is ranked high by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
The four-year course consists of two years of theoretical knowledge study about the human anatomy, pathology, etc. and two years of undergoing clinical training under an experienced surgeon in a hospital or clinic. After graduation, a five-year residency in a hospital under an experienced surgeon is required. Residency or internship is like an on-the-job training program where you will get experience of a live surgery.
The last thing required is the license to practice. For this, you need to pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam or USMLE.
Salary Range
As per current estimates, the average salary is usually in the range of USD 150,000 to USD 285,000 for beginners. This variation depends upon a number of factors such as the employment facility, location, qualification, and experience. Some states such as New York, California, Florida, and Texas pay higher than others. A surgeon with an experience of more than ten years can expect anywhere between USD 589,581 to USD 1,017,365. The salary can even go as high as USD 1,238,700 for those with more than twenty years of experience in the industry.
If you consider the job market, it is estimated that there will be a huge demand for surgeons in the coming decade. A lot of it has to do with the growing aging population in America. Owing to this rise in demand, many medical schools have increased their enrollments, so this makes it the right time to enter this profession. Once you become a general surgeon, you can always upgrade your skills or specialize in a particular field for advancing your career. Research and teaching in universities are some other avenues of employment which can be looked at.