Surgeon

Introduction

Surgeons work very skilfully with their hands to perform surgical operations on patients in hospital. They have a specialist medical knowledge of one area of surgery. Initial training takes five years as a medical student and a two year foundation programme. This is followed by specialist surgical training. Entry to training is competitive.

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Work Activities

Surgeons perform operations on patients, using their specialist knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, anatomy and pathology. They have to work very skilfully with their hands, and have a whole team of medical staff to support them.

The particular type of operation a surgeon performs depends on their speciality. These include:
• general surgery
• neurosurgery (brain)
• cardiothoracic surgery (heart and chest)
• oral and maxillofacial surgery (head and neck)
• ears, nose and throat (ENT) surgery
• plastic surgery (skin and bone construction)
• paediatric surgery (children)
• trauma and orthopaedic surgery (bones and joints)
• urology (urinary).

Surgeons divide their time between the outpatient clinic, the ward, the operating theatre and the office. In the outpatient clinic, they ask patients about their symptoms, and then examine and diagnose them. They may decide to add them to a waiting list for an operation or send them for further tests.

On the ward, surgeons visit their patients just before their operation. They check that incision markings are in the right place and answer any last minute questions. They might also check on patients after the operation, to make sure there are no problems.

Surgeons perform their operations in the theatre, which is kept very clean. They either work through a series of routine minor operations or concentrate on one or two major operations, which could take hours. While they are operating, they teach junior doctors surgical techniques and procedures.

In the office, surgeons decide whether referrals from GPs are urgent or routine cases. They book patients into the clinic, dictate letters and sign them. They also attend committee meetings to discuss staff and resource issues.

Surgeons also spend time doing research in order to keep up with new surgical technologies. They might publish articles in medical journals and some surgeons decide to lecture to other health professionals about surgery.

Surgeons work long hours and spend some time on-call. Because of this, they may have a limited lifestyle. When they are on-call, they may have to perform emergency operations.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You must have a sound knowledge of physiology, anatomy, biochemistry and pathology. A steady hand and good co-ordination skills are also essential.

You must also have the physical stamina to perform operations over a long period of time. You will have to make decisions under pressure and must be able to cope with stress.

You must be able to listen to, question and reassure patients and their families. Teamwork is an important part of the job, so it is vital that you can communicate well. You should also be hard-working and responsible.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

In the NHS, hospital doctors are paid on a scale:
• foundation house officer: £22,000 - £31,000 a year
• senior house officer: £27,500 - £38,500
• specialist registrar: £30,500 - £46,000
• speciality doctor: £36,500 - £68,000
• associate specialist: £51,000 - £84,000
• consultant: £74,500 - £100,500.

A surgeon's working hours can be long and irregular and include shift, weekend and public holiday work.

Surgeons work throughout the country, in the NHS and in private hospitals. There are opportunities for working in other countries, especially in Europe.

There is strong competition for posts and for promotion.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you do not have the usual academic qualifications needed for a degree in medicine course, you might be able to enter the course through:
• an Access to Medicine course
• one of the six-year 'widening access' courses set up to encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Courses are available at thirteen universities throughout the UK.
• a 'pre-medical' or 'foundation' year, if you do not have science Highers

.

Graduates with other related degrees can be accepted for the standard medical degree course. Some medical schools accept arts or humanities graduates.

Shortened or fast-track medical degrees, usually lasting four years, also exist for graduates. You would usually need a relevant first degree, eg, in a science subject, although some universities accept graduates in any subject.

You can train as a surgeon (once qualified as a doctor) on a part-time basis. This can be by flexible training covering 50% of the normal weekly programme plus pro-rata on- call duties. You should have 'well founded individual reasons' for taking this flexible training option. These reasons could include domestic commitments (as a primary carer), ill health or disability.

Flexible training usually occurs in supernumerary posts (ie duties additional to regular staff).

Other options for part-time training are 'jobsharing' and 'permanent part time' - both of which do not require 'well founded individual reasons' for entry (and are also part of the regular staff arrangements). However, finding a suitable jobshare partner can be difficult.

• 27% of doctors, including surgeons, are self-employed.
• 17% work part-time.
• 2% have flexible hours.
• 15% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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