Scott+K

Surgeon

Questions that I want to answer
1.How to become a surgeon? 2.What will I do if I become a surgeon? 3.What are the chances of getting a job as a surgeon?

Bonus Question
4.What types of surgeons are there?

About the job
A surgeon is a type of doctor that consults with patients and operates on people to cure or manage diseases and injuries. They are generally paid between $70 000 for a registrar (those in training) and $600 000 for a top level, private surgeon.

Skills and knowledge
Surgeons are required to have
 * a knowledge of the anatomy and how the body works
 * surgical skills and knowledge
 * knowledge of diseases and illnesses
 * diagnostic skills
 * up to date knowledge of treatments, practices and research
 * knowledge of medical ethics and law

Personal and Physical Qualities
Surgeons need to be
 * accurate, careful and detailed
 * motivated
 * punctual and well disciplined
 * quick and efficient
 * able to cope with pressure and stress
 * able to solve problems and make good decisions
 * good report writers
 * excellent at analysing and interpreting
 * good communicators
 * understanding of other cultures.

Question 1:How to become a surgeon
To become a surgeon you need to complete The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. In order to gain this you need to do eight years of training. You then need to work for a further two years as a supervised junior doctor.
 * 1st Year: Health Sciences First Year Course. This is the course that people take before they branch off into other courses such as Dental Surgery, Medical Laboratory Science and Physiotherapy.
 * 2nd-6th Year: Studying and recieving training for your Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

You must then complete another five to seven of specialist training and exams to become a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. You must also be registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand. However, before you can do all of this you need to complete NCEA level 3, with useful subjects being biology, chemistry, physics, english and maths with either calculus or statistics.

Question 2: What will I do if I become a surgeon
Surgeons are expected and/or required to Surgeons are also expected to
 * examine patients and decide whether operations are needed
 * perform and manage surgery on patients
 * consult with other doctors or medical professionals about patients care and treatment
 * care for patients after operations have been performed on them
 * carry out research
 * teach junior doctors and medical students
 * keep accurate records and send final reports to GP's
 * be able to work long and irregular hours
 * work in clinics. operating theatres and hospital wards
 * be able to work under stressful conditions when caring for and operating on patients
 * be able to travel locally to other hospitals and overseas to attend meetings and conferences



Question 3:What are the chances of gettng a job as a surgeon?
According to the Medical Council of New Zealand, the chances of getting a job as a surgeon are good, due to there not being enough surgeons to meet current demand. As a result, surgeon appears on Immigration of New Zealand's long term skill shortage list. Some things that are causing the chances of getting a job as a surgeon good are There is a higher chance of getting a job as a surgeon in Canterbury, Wellington, Auckland and North Otago than there is in Taranaki, Southland, West Coast and the Central North Island.
 * there are not enough surgeons to meet the current demand
 * nearly one third of New Zealand's specilalist doctors are due to retire in the next 10 years
 * "The Brain Drain": Surgeons are moving overseas for better work and pay
 * there is a worldwide shortage of specialist doctors

Question 4:What types of surgeons are there?
There are many different types of surgeons that people can choose to specialise in
 * General Surgeon: Provides operative and non-operative care for people with disorders around the head and neck region, blood vessels, skin, breasts, certain organs and the colon and rectum. They also deal with trauma.
 * Neuro Surgeon: Provides care for disorders around the nervous systems, their supportive structures and blood supply, which includes the skull, brain, spine, spinal cord, meningines and the pituitary gland.
 * Orthopaedic Surgeon: Provides care for disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which includes bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and peripheral nerves.
 * Paediatric Surgeon: Provides care for disorders in children, usually up to the age of about 15 years old. They are basically a General Surgeon for kids.
 * Plastic or Reconstructive Surgeon: Treats patients requiring the restoration, correction or improvement in the shape and appearance of body structures. It includes all aspects of cosmetic surgery.
 * Cardiothoracic Surgeon: Specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with disorders within the chest, including the heart and vascular system, lungs and trachea, the oesophagus, the diaphragm and the chest wall.
 * Vascular Surgeon: Provides care for patients with disorders of the blood vessels outside the brain and the heart, as well as care for the lymphatic system.
 * Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon: Provides care for patients with diseases and disorders of the mouth, jaws and associated areas.

Conclusion
I think I would like being able to use my hands and needing to use my brain. I would also like the medical side of things and the cutting open things with knifes and scalpels. I don't think I would enjoy the delicate side of things such as surgery on someone's heart or brain. I rate my current interest in the job as high. I think this job would suit me because you need to use your brain and you need to have an interest in medicine, both of which I think I would enjoy. I think this job is likely to change over time with the modernisation of operating theatres. Instead of surgeons cutting open people, it could be robots that are using the scalpels and hooks. That could mean that some surgeons would lose their jobs as less surgeons are required.