What It’s Like to Work As a Surgeon
Surgeons treat a variety of patient illnesses, conditions and disorders that require the removal or closer inspection of parts of the body. Surgeons can perform surgery on any part of the body, from the brain to the heart to the heel. Surgeons can choose to perform general surgery, or they can choose to specialize in surgery for a particular part of the body. Surgeons often work long shifts and odd hours, as people not all surgeries can be scheduled in advance. They work with other medical staff, including doctors and nurses, as well as the patient’s family in order to best assess, diagnose and treat the patient’s illness or condition. Dealing with a worried family can be heartbreaking, and surgeons have to be able to explain things clearly and calmly.
Surgeons must be very precise, detailed and organized, and they must be able to think and react quickly, as patients’ lives are on the line. Surgery is fast paced, challenging and incredibly rewarding.