What Degree is Needed To Become a Surgeon?
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Updated February 17, 2023
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Completing an Undergraduate Program
Before you can even get into medical school you need to complete undergraduate studies. While some believe that you are required to select a specific major, all majors are welcome to apply to the top-notch medical schools. If you have decided late into your student career as an undergrad that you want to take the plunge and study to become a surgeon, you can still gain entry into a med school if you study something like business administration or finance. If you want to improve your chances of getting into medical school without a premed major, you will need to take the right types of courses. Experts recommend that you major in programs like Chemistry or Biology, but that is not to say that humanities and social sciences majors cannot earn admission if they take the right course load. When you are studying, you need to study the right subject areas. When it comes to being a medical doctor in training, the more science courses the better. You will need a minimum of:- 1 year of biology
- 1 year of English
- 1 year of physics
- 2 years of chemistry
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Gaining Admission Into a Respected Med School
Your course load and your grade point average are two important factors when you are applying to medical school. You will need to really put an effort into your application to get noticed when the competition is high, but once you are accepted, you can expect to spend another four years in school earning a doctorate. During the first year, you will complete science courses and courses to develop clinical skills. In year two, you will take upper-level courses and prepare for the USMLE Step 1 exam, according to Kaplan. This test is important because it has an impact on whether or not you can specialize in surgery. The third and fourth year are focused on spending time in clinical settings so that you are ready for your USMLE Step 2 exam that includes simulated patient interactions.Complete a Residency
Once you complete training, you then need to spend three to 10 years as a resident. This post-doctoral training is important, because surgeons gain their skills through experience. How long you must spend as a resident depends on the surgery specialty that you choose. Related Resource: Sports Medicine Surgeons need to be experts in what they do. If you want a fulfilling job where you can make a difference in the lives of many, you may want to work to become a specialist in surgery. Review the areas you can specialize in as a surgeon, and then you can start to earn the doctorate degree needed to become a surgeon.BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
