4 answers
Maleah
Student
Davie, Florida
1
Question
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what is the best highschool path to becoming a surgeon?
I’m starting 9th grade this summer and it has been my dream since i was young to become a doctor.
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4 answers
Kirk Anthony Stewart, M.D., CD.
Family Medicine physician
2
Answers
Oregon, Illinois
Updated
Kirk Anthony’s Answer
I absolutely agree with Garrett. Though I'm not a surgeon, the pathway to residency is pretty much the same.
My pathway was a bit more untraditional. I did fair in high school (a very basic one) then took a year off to make some money and travel. I then did an associate degree, then a bachelor's and then a master's. I also served in the military for some time. The goal for me was to get lots of life experience and to learn who I was and what I really wanted to do.
I decided to go to pursue medicine in my late 20s. It was challenging since I had to get back into the mode of studying abs school. Med school required personal drive and independent learning. I found self motivation to be the key driving force for me especially when times got rough. The meaning of time is different for those in medicine. The way I put it, if someone asks me how long does anything with learning medicine and becoming a doctor take,I usually say, "... as long as it needs to". Time, in my opinion, is the most valuable commodity.
I would recommend focusing not so much on the high school you are going to but more so on gaining life experience. Look into volunteering in spaces that have you engaged with different types of people. For example, soup kitchens, nursing homes, shelters, and community centers are a good space to start. Also focus on really learning the material you are exposed to. Lastly, develop insight and self motivation by challenging yourself either in a sport, the gym or a hobby. Do something that with push you to grow.
Hopefully this helps...
My pathway was a bit more untraditional. I did fair in high school (a very basic one) then took a year off to make some money and travel. I then did an associate degree, then a bachelor's and then a master's. I also served in the military for some time. The goal for me was to get lots of life experience and to learn who I was and what I really wanted to do.
I decided to go to pursue medicine in my late 20s. It was challenging since I had to get back into the mode of studying abs school. Med school required personal drive and independent learning. I found self motivation to be the key driving force for me especially when times got rough. The meaning of time is different for those in medicine. The way I put it, if someone asks me how long does anything with learning medicine and becoming a doctor take,I usually say, "... as long as it needs to". Time, in my opinion, is the most valuable commodity.
I would recommend focusing not so much on the high school you are going to but more so on gaining life experience. Look into volunteering in spaces that have you engaged with different types of people. For example, soup kitchens, nursing homes, shelters, and community centers are a good space to start. Also focus on really learning the material you are exposed to. Lastly, develop insight and self motivation by challenging yourself either in a sport, the gym or a hobby. Do something that with push you to grow.
Hopefully this helps...
Garrett Cuppels, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
25
Answers
Miami, Florida
Updated
Garrett’s Answer
Good grades and as well as a variety of activities, sports, volunteering etc. No one cares where you went to HS, college or even med school The key is getting into med school and the first step is doing well academically in HS as well as being well rounded with a good mix of enriching extracurricular activities. Speaking from experience, I went to the college and med school that awarded me a full scholarship not the "Ivy League top schools" I was accepted to them but ultimately you need to understand that everyone learns the same material in med school.
In my ortho residency, there were plenty of guys with Harvard, Yale, Penn degrees and no one cares or even asks. You're all on the same team with the same common goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and you all have the same basic knowledge of medicine as a foundation.
In my ortho residency, there were plenty of guys with Harvard, Yale, Penn degrees and no one cares or even asks. You're all on the same team with the same common goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and you all have the same basic knowledge of medicine as a foundation.
Midwest Heart Surgeon
Cardiac surgeon
57
Answers
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Updated
Midwest’s Answer
I agree with parts of some other answers here and think there are some important points to remember in high school. By far the most important steps at this time are to:
1) Do well! Academic excellence is expected for all medical school applicants. This is independent of the caliber of your high school, undergraduate institution, or medical school but is simply dependent on how well you've done. This could be used to get you in the door, but is definitely used to "weed out" less competitive applicants. Focus on achievement. You can start this process now while you're in high school.
2) Make sure becoming a surgeon is what you want! In high school there is a limit to how "sure" you can be of this type of decision, but the way to find this answer is to maximize exposure to this type of career and you can do this by shadowing as many surgeons as you possible can, while you're still in high school and also extending into undergrad.
Beyond these immediate steps, you can begin considering what undergraduate experience makes the most sense for you and your family. Some places may be more common routes for students to attend medical school, but you can get into medical school from essentially any undergraduate institution if you do well and stand out at that institution!
1) Do well! Academic excellence is expected for all medical school applicants. This is independent of the caliber of your high school, undergraduate institution, or medical school but is simply dependent on how well you've done. This could be used to get you in the door, but is definitely used to "weed out" less competitive applicants. Focus on achievement. You can start this process now while you're in high school.
2) Make sure becoming a surgeon is what you want! In high school there is a limit to how "sure" you can be of this type of decision, but the way to find this answer is to maximize exposure to this type of career and you can do this by shadowing as many surgeons as you possible can, while you're still in high school and also extending into undergrad.
Beyond these immediate steps, you can begin considering what undergraduate experience makes the most sense for you and your family. Some places may be more common routes for students to attend medical school, but you can get into medical school from essentially any undergraduate institution if you do well and stand out at that institution!
Waseem Jafri
Consultant ophthalmologist
36
Answers
Las Vegas, Nevada
Updated
Waseem’s Answer
First you have to get admission to a medical school followed by the speciality you choose finally.