I'm new to this!

[Guest DaveCartwright]

Hey there everyone!

 

Well, I'm pretty new to the premed game. I originally was all about the computer programming, but shortly after taking a highschool anatomy course, I realized that the world of medicine is for me.

 

I have just one main question - after highschool (one more year left for me), what is the best path towards surgery?

 

Thank you for your time,

 

Dave

[Guest Ian Wong]

Hi,

 

Becoming a surgeon is an awfully long road. I applaud your enthusiam, but it's a decision that you really shouldn't commit to without a lot more time. Take the time to keep your options open. There are likely many other jobs out there that would interest you as much or more, and I'm sure you'll encounter them as time goes on. Make sure to keep an open mind.

 

Lecture aside, here's the "typical path" to becoming a surgeon for someone at your stage.

 

1 year : Finish high school.

4 years: Complete a Bachelor's degree in university

4 years: Complete a medical degree

5 years: Complete a surgical residency

 

As you can see, you've still got another *14* years to go before you can become a surgeon fully licensed to practise in Canada. If you got into med school after three years of university, and went to a med school that has a three year program, you'd still take 12 years to become a surgeon, or essentially like starting from kindergarten up to grade 12 all over again.

 

Becoming a surgeon is a very long haul, no doubt about it.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest Babar]

Why does it seem to me that any medical sholl student or future MD loves to give discouraging signal to those wishing to join the programs?

Your comments may be all true, but not a single encouraging word. Look like you think your profession is reseved.

[Guest cheech10]

Babar,

 

Maybe you should read the boards more often before making a post like this. Ian is one of the most supportive people I've seen around and the creator of probably the most useful canadian pre-med resource: this site and board. Also, his post does not discourage Dave from pursuing medicine, but I think Ian meant that Dave should keep an open mind about specialties, as most med students I've noticed have found that once in medical school their ideas about specialties tend to change frequently. Also, it IS a long road, especially from high school. Dave should probably focus on getting accepted to med school first rather than on becoming a surgeon, since that is a decision that is far off in the future. Once in med, if surgery is what he still wants, then he can decide to pursue it.

[Guest Ian Wong]

Hi Babar,

 

I'd be thrilled if Dave became a surgeon, or any other type of physician where we would be colleagues. This is the basis for why I established this bulletin board, as a place where premed and med students at all different stages along the pathway of medicine could come together and help each other out.

 

However, I try to temper my advice with a sense of realism. Many of my friends once believed that they wanted to be doctors. Not many of those friends are, now. Some simply lost passion for the idea and are now pursuing other careers that spark their interest, and cause them to feel as happy as I wish I will be once I start practice. For all of these people, continuing into medicine with all the sacrifices it entails would have been a mistake, as medicine simply doesn't fit into their life goals and expectations.

 

If you Dave truly love the idea of surgery, then chances are good that someday you will find yourself a surgeon. But you'll have to work extremely long and hard for it. What I was trying to get across in my previous post is that I think you should keep your eyes open in case another career pops out at you that you love more. It happened for many of my friends, and that realization is something that you don't want to miss out by getting too focussed on surgery too early.

 

Thanks Cheech10,

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest DaveCartwright]

Thanks very much, Ian, for replying so quickly.

It's a great information page you have going here, keep it up!

 

Sincerely,

 

Dave