How do you get into trauma surgery

[Ems]

Can anyone explain what steps you should take to become a trauma surgeon?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[kundun]

step 1: get into an ACGME or AOA approved medical school
step 2: graduate in good standing and pass all 3 steps of the COMLEX or USMLE
step 3: match into a AOA or ACGME general surgery residency
step 4: finish your residency in good standing and become BE or BC in general surgery
step 5: apply for a fellowship in trauma surgery...what, they're usually 1-2 years in duration right??

did I leave anything out, anybody?

 

[SocialistMD]

Pretty much sums it up. Ems, do I know you?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'll move this over to the Rotations and Residencies Forum for you.

 

[tonem]

The alternative to a fellowship in Trauma is a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine (after completing your Gen Surg. Residency of course)...after either one you will be an official Trauma Surgeon.

 

[droliver]

FYI: to be a "trauma" surgeon all you have to do is work somewhere that you take trauma call. There is no board-certification in trauma as such. There are fellowships in trauma/critical care where you are really there to do more research for a planned academic surgery career rather than learn how to operate as such. To posistion yourself for a two year trauma-critical care fellowship is not terribly hard as they are not the most competative of fellowships except at a few specific places. If you are interested you should plan on doing your general surgery in a high volume urban level I trauma center @ a University program. You do not neccesarily have to be AOA in med school or train @ one of the biggest academic "name" medical centers (many of them are in fact not the best or most experienced trauma centers due to suburban locations).

hope this helps