Notes

Day in the life
Ward rounds: daily visits to check on the state and progress of each of the patients in their care, liaising with nursing staff and junior doctors.
Operating: working on pre-booked elective operations and/or emergency cases as part of a team which will include other surgeons, anaesthetists, technicians, nurses, administrators all working together to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient.
Out-patient clinics: meeting the patient (and possibly their family) before the operation to decide the best course of action for their condition; explain procedures and risks; take tests; arrange X-rays; and then meeting them again after the operation to monitor their recovery.
Administration: as with every job, there’s paperwork to be done.

Skills n qualities
Specialist knowledge for accurate diagnosis of a patient’s condition.
Good communication skills – for speaking to your medical team, your patients and their families; for listening to and understanding the concerns of a wide range of people and earning their trust.
A bright, eager mind, manual dexterity and physical skills for performing an operation.
Extensive experience of preoperative and postoperative care.
Ability to adapt to a changing environment – as healthcare evolves and there are medical developments, you will need to have commitment and enthusiasm for learning new skills and techniques.
Leadership skills to manage your team and help to train the surgeons of the future.
The ability to inspire confidence in others.
Emotional resilience and the ability to support your team in sometimes difficult circumstances.


To become a surgeon, you'll need:
a commitment to caring for others
the ability to work under pressure and make quick, accurate decisions
excellent hand-eye co-ordination and practical skills
an interest and ability in science, medicine, anatomy and physiology
good communication skills and the ability to explain choices to patients
the ability to put people at their ease and inspire trust and confidence
leadership and management skills
the ability to always work to high professional standards
a keen interest in your specialist field and a willingness to keep your skills up to date

Route into it
Medical school 5-6 yr
Foundation training 2 yr - paid training job in hospital (range of medical specialties)
Core surgical training 2 yr - paid training job in hospital (range of surgical specialties)
Specialty training ~6 yr on one surgical specialty
Specialties:
cardiothoracic surgery
general surgery
neurosurgery
oral and maxillofacial surgery
otolaryngology (ENT)
paediatric surgery
plastic surgery
trauma and orthopaedic surgery
urology
vascular surgery


long hours inc. nights + weekends. Maximum 48 hr per week due to European legislation
As a junior hospital trainee the basic starting salary is £22,636. This increases in the second year of foundation training to £28,076. For a doctor in specialist training (including surgeons) the basic starting salary is £30,002.
Doctors in training are paid extra if they work more than 40 hours or they work outside the hours of 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday. This is usually between 20% and 50% of the basic salary.
Consultant surgeons can earn a basic salary of between £75,249 and £101,451 per year, dependent on length of service.