Can one grow to like surgery?

[citizenbang]

Is there anyone out there that went into a surgical specialty without knowing for sure you were in love with the OR, and then grow to enjoy surgery?

If so, what aspect of surgery started becoming enjoyable? the technical work? the planning? the creativity? or is it just kind of a nice relaxing time where you can semi turn your brain off like watching TV after a while? (the last one was not meant to be sarcastic)

Thanks

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[cpants]

You are setting yourself up for disappointment/failure if you are planning on growing into liking the OR during residency. If you honestly don't like surgery, then you should choose something nonsurgical. There are plenty of choices.

 

[citizenbang]

You are setting yourself up for disappointment/failure if you are planning on growing into liking the OR during residency. If you honestly don't like surgery, then you should choose something nonsurgical. There are plenty of choices.

I never got to be hands on during my surgical rotations. Ironically, the most "surgery" I have done was Mohs surgery while I was on dermatology, which I thought that was fun. I just didn't know if that would translate to say urologic surgery if I were actually doing it. Do ALL students who become surgeons know they loved the OR at first sight? Are there any out there who were neutral to the OR, but then grew to like it?

 

[Trinity12]

Obviously, you can't say something that applies to everyone, but I think that most medical students who go into a surgical specialty do so because they love being in the OR. I know that was the case for me. Even if all I was doing was retracting, as a medical student, I would have much preferred being in the OR, seeing the anatomy and the steps to the procedure (seeing yourself doing the surgery one day) than be in clinic or in the emergency admitting someone with a COPD exacerbation!

The advice I find myself giving to students (and I've heard this from surgical attendings) is to go into a surgical field ONLY if you love it and couldn't see yourself doing anything else. It is an extremely tiring residency and life after that so you have to love it to do it. Doing surgery for a few weeks as a medical student is NOTHING at all like a resident or attending's life...

Good luck.

 

[UroJobSearch]

I agree, only go into a surgical specialty if you could not see yourself being happy doing anything else. Urology is a great field and I think the vast majority of folks go into it because they love being in the OR.

I had an attending tell me: "you can enjoy doing anything for 6 weeks as a medical student, your job is to figure out what you can enjoy for the rest of your life" He told me that when I was seriously considering trauma surgery. He was completely right.

Surgical training is a long haul, but I think worth it for those who enjoy it.