Medical restrictions for being surgeon?

[jimb0b]

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Hey all,

I'm curious if there are medical restrictions for becoming a surgeon? More specifically, I know someone with neurocardiogenic syncope that is pursuing becoming a heart-surgeon.

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Law2Doc]

Hey all,

I'm curious if there are medical restrictions for becoming a surgeon? More specifically, I know someone with neurocardiogenic syncope that is pursuing becoming a heart-surgeon.

Thanks so much in advance!

All med schools and residencies are going to ask about health conditions that might preclude you from successfully completing your training. Truth of the matter is that if you are going to drop dead from a condition it's going to happen early in your training where they abuse you in terms of hours, lengthy operations, running around caring for dying patients all over big hospitals and running Codes in the wee hours of the night. So take solace in the fact that if your friend doesn't croak as an intern, he likely will be fine. If he does, at least he was already in a hospital at the time...

 

[ppfizenm]

I know you don't even need all of your fingers.

 

[mishaS]

Hey all,

I'm curious if there are medical restrictions for becoming a surgeon? More specifically, I know someone with neurocardiogenic syncope that is pursuing becoming a heart-surgeon.

Thanks so much in advance!

If I was a surgical residency director, I probably wouldn't take your friend. It sucks, but I would not want any surgeon, let alone a cardiac surgeon, who will often have to perform for long periods of time, who could faint at any moment operating on me, or on my team. Can you imagine what would happen if they were in the middle of performing a bypass, as the lead surgeon, and suddenly fell unconscious? A dead patient(s) is not worth your friend's dreams....

 

[BigRedBeta]

Hey all,

I'm curious if there are medical restrictions for becoming a surgeon? More specifically, I know someone with neurocardiogenic syncope that is pursuing becoming a heart-surgeon.

Thanks so much in advance!

How old is this person and when did they start fainting? Neurocardiogenic syncope is exceedingly common amongst teenagers - most pediatric cardiologists will say between 20-25% of adolescent females and 5-10% of adolescent males, will have issues with it. The good news is that it's typically outgrown by the early 20's, and even before then, aggressive hydration and a little extra salt in the diet is usually enough to cause a massive improvement in symptoms (I've had patients who have fainted >10x a day that subsequently went months without a spell after increasing their fluids - still with occasional lightheadedness with orthostatic changes but practically a different person). There are other medication options possible as well, but most cases respond with hydration.

Now if this is some non-trad 38 year old with neurocardiogenic syncope that started a couple years ago, it's a very different story. That certainly would be more troublesome as a limiting factor on their effectiveness.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Yes, but the chair of neurosurgery at u of m is disabled since before residency so it will depend. If your neurogenic syncope can be controlled then no prob. If you can't stand up for an hour no matter what, then it may be harder to BE a surgeon, regardless of
one's admission.

 

[Sasbo]

Hey all,

I'm curious if there are medical restrictions for becoming a surgeon? More specifically, I know someone with neurocardiogenic syncope that is pursuing becoming a heart-surgeon.

Thanks so much in advance!

This is very interesting to me. I have neurocardiogenic syncope and have thought that it would make it difficult for me to pursue surgery. I have had it since I was about 14 and I am 21 now. Although I have it pretty much under control and I do not truly faint anymore, I have frequent episodes were I feel that I am on the verge of fainting.

Good luck to your friend! I bet they can make it work.

 

[jimb0b]

How old is this person and when did they start fainting? Neurocardiogenic syncope is exceedingly common amongst teenagers - most pediatric cardiologists will say between 20-25% of adolescent females and 5-10% of adolescent males, will have issues with it. The good news is that it's typically outgrown by the early 20's, and even before then, aggressive hydration and a little extra salt in the diet is usually enough to cause a massive improvement in symptoms (I've had patients who have fainted >10x a day that subsequently went months without a spell after increasing their fluids - still with occasional lightheadedness with orthostatic changes but practically a different person). There are other medication options possible as well, but most cases respond with hydration.

Now if this is some non-trad 38 year old with neurocardiogenic syncope that started a couple years ago, it's a very different story. That certainly would be more troublesome as a limiting factor on their effectiveness.

She is 21. I believe she started fainting in her mid teens. She has gone long periods (months+) without an episode. Even when she was fainting a lot it was only every once in a while, not a daily occurrence by any means.