How long do you go to school to be a surgeon?

Surgery generally requires the most intensive preparation of all medical specialties. Before surgeons are qualified to operate, they must meet a set of challenging education requirements. These generally include four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school leading to a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree and 3-8 years of surgical residency at a hospital.

Surgeons typically start out by enrolling in a university or college with a strong pre-medical program and by choosing a major related to medicine, such as biology, physics or chemistry. After earning a bachelor's degree, they must pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in order to apply to medical school.

During medical school, students must gain an even greater mastery of subjects taken at the undergraduate level. These include anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, psychology, ethics and medical law, among others. Programs also require students to go through rotations, where they learn the basics of patient care across a variety of specialties.

Upon graduating from medical school, aspiring surgeons must earn an M.D. and become licensed before they can begin their residency. Residencies function as salaried training and allow students to begin specializing. Those interested in surgery work under the supervision of other experienced surgeons.