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Hello, hello
OK, I'm just starting a premed program and I've been thinking *A LOT* about what specialty I want. Of course I won't really know until I've finished med school and had a chance to see it all first hand... however, that said... I've been really interested in getting into surgery(general surgery, possibly specializing in trauma surgery)... I mean I figure I've already got a god complex, so I might as well go that route right? (ha, kidding :wink: )
Surgery just really appeals to me... However... i've been reading tons of stuff about residency programs and such... and I've read everything I can get my hands on regarding the life of a surgeon... and I gotta say it really kind of scares me. I mean... I plan on being a doctor dedicated to my patients and my work, but... I want to have a social life... my friends are important to me, and I need to be able to hang with them. I could stand to work 50-60 hour weeks... and I would be willing to work more than that when I was needed... but i would hope that wouldnt happen too often. But from all i've read a surgeon works an average of 80 hours/week... and very often during residency a surgeon would work well over 100 hours/week!! 100/week for 5 years... I don't think i could do that, I need to have some semblance of a life outside of work. I'm not saying a social life is more important to me than my career would be, but i need to have some time to decompress... i would burn out if all i did was eat sleep and work.
Soo, I know yer thinking, damn is this guy still yapping? Get to yer frickin question already. Ok, ok so here it is, jeesh don't be so impatient... I'm Canadian... are residencies the same in Canada as in the USA? As a surgery resident would i be getting more or less hours than an american? how many should I expect? I havent been able to find any information about Canadian residency or the canadian medical system in general really, so any websites u could point me to would be appreciated. What is life like as a Canadian surgeon? what kind of hours? What it boils down to is... Can Canadian Surgeons/residents have a life? Or is a surgeon's life his work?
Thanks in advance
OK, I'm just starting a premed program and I've been thinking *A LOT* about what specialty I want. Of course I won't really know until I've finished med school and had a chance to see it all first hand... however, that said... I've been really interested in getting into surgery(general surgery, possibly specializing in trauma surgery)... I mean I figure I've already got a god complex, so I might as well go that route right? (ha, kidding :wink: )
Surgery just really appeals to me... However... i've been reading tons of stuff about residency programs and such... and I've read everything I can get my hands on regarding the life of a surgeon... and I gotta say it really kind of scares me. I mean... I plan on being a doctor dedicated to my patients and my work, but... I want to have a social life... my friends are important to me, and I need to be able to hang with them. I could stand to work 50-60 hour weeks... and I would be willing to work more than that when I was needed... but i would hope that wouldnt happen too often. But from all i've read a surgeon works an average of 80 hours/week... and very often during residency a surgeon would work well over 100 hours/week!! 100/week for 5 years... I don't think i could do that, I need to have some semblance of a life outside of work. I'm not saying a social life is more important to me than my career would be, but i need to have some time to decompress... i would burn out if all i did was eat sleep and work.
Soo, I know yer thinking, damn is this guy still yapping? Get to yer frickin question already. Ok, ok so here it is, jeesh don't be so impatient... I'm Canadian... are residencies the same in Canada as in the USA? As a surgery resident would i be getting more or less hours than an american? how many should I expect? I havent been able to find any information about Canadian residency or the canadian medical system in general really, so any websites u could point me to would be appreciated. What is life like as a Canadian surgeon? what kind of hours? What it boils down to is... Can Canadian Surgeons/residents have a life? Or is a surgeon's life his work?
Thanks in advance