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>Next, transfer to ideally an in-state university with a science major (Biochem is the current idea, but that could change as time goes on)
>Keep on working as an EMT while going to school full time (4 year program, will be 28 when it's over)
>Get my undergrad in science, take MCAT test then apply for med school
>Get into med school, 4 years of med school, graduate, apply at hospitals for surgery residency programs (I'll be 32 when med school is over, with another 5 years minimum for all surgery residency programs I'll be about 37)
>So on and so forth

I realize it's a tremendous workload to take on, but I'm very serious about becoming a surgeon. I want to work as an EMT because I know one thing they look for during interviews is your experience in healthcare. Most people shadow at clinics or do volunteer work here and there. Not so many have actual field experience as an EMT. So I want to have that field experience, on top of having the shadowing and volunteer work in order to stand out.

Would appreciate any feedback or potential advice anyone could offer me. Just sort of typed this up hurriedly on a whim after the thread I responded to 404'd immediately, so apologies if things don't make sense or are worded strange.

Thanks

OP, do you why you want to be a surgeon? Do you know how much you will work, what you will be paid? Do you know what residency is like?

Consider some basic costs, how much is your college going to be? Med school? Then what's your income during residency (hint, 60k if you are lucky, 40k if you aren't). During residency, do not expect to have a life, and I mean that in the most austere way possible. Residents work 80hrs a week minimum, and depening on hours etc it may be more like 100+, all day on your feet doing really detailed work that if you fuck up will have REALLY big consequences. Are you OK being stuck at one hospital for a longer time? Medical professionals can't compare their jobs or unionize in the same way other professions can.

It is a LOT of effort for something you aren't going to get much into, with surgery being your choice. Surgeons are kinda act like the jocks of a hospital, but its not really all its portrayed to be. At it's best, when you've gotten into a better position post residency etc, you will still have shit hours, shit pay relative to other medical specialties, and shit outside life. Surgeons are also the "least intelligent" field of practiced medicine, by which I mean you're getting paid to do the manual work, not the actual thinking of it. Also, surgeons are looking right now to be the first thing to be replaced by machines in hospitals (I can attest to this, it's the field I work in).

NOW that said, if you take being a surgeon and do something interesting with it, like make a new tool , software, or procedure, you will make huge dosh, but that usually only comes with heavy specialization, not general surgery. The problem with heavier specialization is more time in residency, more costs, and harder to get into.

I am not trying to dissuade you from medicine, it gets much much more profitable the more specialized you get, but really plan out your expenses, timing, and what you actually want.

>>17331218
Yes. I understand all the nuances, pitfalls and tremendous workloads associated with being and becoming. As well as someone who hasn't gone through it possibly could. I know about the long hours and shit pay you receive (basically translate into minimum wage when you consider the amount of hours you work, effort and investment to get there). With all that considered I still want to be a surgeon.

I appreciate you bringing to light all of the factors and disuading things that go along with being a surgeon. I have yet to endure them, but it's good to know that they're there and to be prepared.

With that aside, is my path feasible? Any shortcomings or alternative routes you'd suggest?

Thanks again for your input

>>17331218
what? regular doctors are the first thing that's leaving, it is becoming easier and accurate to input vitals, history and find a solutions. Surgeons are still going to be needed to operate most of surgery machinery

>>17331483
It's doable, for sure, but I can't say I know what is going to happen at the end game. Would you be able to pay off your debts? Could you find work? I am not sure for surgery. I would say if you specialize, you will have no problem getting a well paying job and being in demand. Surgery tends to be the 1st level of MD medicine. A lot of 1st generation educated in college (think immigrant families with no college grads) in the field, so more competition, less pay.

It's not a bad plan, in fact I have seen many worse, but I would suggest you run some basic numbers of how much your college and medical school loans will cost you, how much will you make, is there a possibility of a part time job for one or the other, just whether or not you can money in, money out do it. You can't get those loans forgiven, so be really really careful about making them. You COULD also get a degree in another field that would lend you a post college job, but with a medical twist, so perhaps a dual major in bioengineering and pre med. That way you could do something like surgery tool design or pharma or something if you don't want to go into surgery at that point. I would just caution you to not but all of your bets in one place, without a backup plan.

>Would you be able to pay off your debts?
Immediately out of med school and in a residency? No. That's to be expected. You live pretty shitty during your residency. Once you finish your residency and become a fully fledged surgeon? Yes.

Depending on the specialty, they can make $200K+ easy.

I'm not really in it for the money though. If money were my only desire I would go into a much easier field that didn't take so much work to get to.
>Could you find work?
Like someone else said, society will always need surgeons. Even if machines are made in the future that have the potential of replacing surgeons, I think that people will still seek out an actual human to preform their operation than a machine.

There's not really a shortage of openings for surgeon. It's just that there's very few people who are eligible to become surgeons due to the prerequisites required and the work load required to do it.


So I'm not overly worried about the dangers associated with becoming a surgeon. You make shit pay during residency and live an awful, overworked life for several years. Then once you finish your residency program you start making ludicrous amounts of money and all of your debt washes away in no time.

Thanks again for you input. I appreciate it. You mentioned you work in the field. What do you do?