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how do i navigate the world of medicine and surgery?

i would like a surgeon to give me the best advice

advice surgeon pre-med
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Joe’s Answer

Study! Study! Study! It is going to require a desire within yourself to get to where you want. There are many hurdles but they are only meant to teach you, challenge you, and test your willingness to stay strong and continue through. Getting good grades/learning, being a well-rounded person (including extra curricular groups, leadership opportunities, and volunteering), and understanding the general steps to get to where you want are key to starting out. It is always highly preferred to have any kind of patient-contact experience or experience in a medical-field environment under your belt. The typical steps include a bachelor's degree (typically 4 years and can be in anything but still need required courses for med school so going with a more science/health-based major may be more conducive for your success), then you will have medical school which is an additional 4 years (with the first 2 years being mostly coursework and the last 2 years being in-field rotations), and then there is a residency program typically involved and can vary in length but are typically 2 - 4 years. Then with some program paths, there is an additional 1 - 4 year additional education for specialization but from what I have gathered that is more so optional. The other major recommendation I could have is PLEASE shadow any and all possible positions/careers you are interested in. I found this crucial for myself and this really helped me figure out what I didn't want to do with my life. Additionally, seek out programs that could benefit your understanding of medicine, the medical field, or any career potential as well as to boost the resume. In Michigan, there is a program offered for Highschool Sophomores and Juniors called FutureDOcs put on through Michigan State University that did monthly Saturday field trips that offered the opportunity to see first hand what different careers in the medical field look like on a day-to-day basis with a focus on the Doctor of Osteopathic medicine (DO) rather than a Doctor of Medice (MD). This was a competitive program with a full application process with an essay but adds value to your college and medical school application.
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Paul’s Answer

Ximena’s answer above covers all the basics, but as a retired surgeon myself I can offer a few other things to consider.There are two big ones: If you can find a volunteer opening at a hospital near you it can give you exposure to what this work is like and what the people are like who do this work. And with luck, you may meet several doctors who will have enough interest in your future so they will give you advice and perhaps even coach you. It will benefit you to get to know as many medical professionals as you can. They will each have their own opinions, but you will find considerable overlap. If all else fails, look me up online and send me an email.
Paul S. Treuhaft, MD, MA
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