My future , please help

[Krakil]

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Right now I am in the 9th grade and i just feel that time is pressuring me so hard to if i dont make this important choice i will end up lost somewhere,

So I really want ot become a doctor , but not the kind that sits at a desk and does normal stuff, I want something with more action, something like a surgeon.
I have no idea what my future will be because i am in a very economically bad country in Eastern Europe - Bulgaria.
I made up a plan for myself but recently found out its worthless without verification from someone that has gone this way before
Here its is :

4 years in college ( Biology or smth - pls tell me )
Then some in Medical School ( no idea how much )
Then some residency ( again no idea)
Then some specialization ( again ...)

All of this is up to take 10-12 years?
The thing i want to ask is ,can i do the college and med school in my country and do everything else somewhere else and stay there( In Europe ofcourse)

 

[Valadi]

Most posters in this forum are from the US, so it's hard to answer your question. Here most students do 4 years undergrad, 4 years of medical school, 3-6 years of residency, and 0-3 years of optional fellowship (specialization).

You might try asking your high school advisor if there is anyone they know in medicine who you could talk with to clarify what the licensing requirements are in Europe/Bulgaria.

You're really young though, so don't feel pressed right now.

 

[nysegop]

Right now I am in the 9th grade and i just feel that time is pressuring me so hard to if i dont make this important choice i will end up lost somewhere,

So I really want ot become a doctor , but not the kind that sits at a desk and does normal stuff, I want something with more action, something like a surgeon.
I have no idea what my future will be because i am in a very economically bad country in Eastern Europe - Bulgaria.
I made up a plan for myself but recently found out its worthless without verification from someone that has gone this way before
Here its is :

4 years in college ( Biology or smth - pls tell me )
Then some in Medical School ( no idea how much )
Then some residency ( again no idea)
Then some specialization ( again ...)

All of this is up to take 10-12 years?
The thing i want to ask is ,can i do the college and med school in my country and do everything else somewhere else and stay there( In Europe ofcourse)

It can take more than 12 years depending on your desired specialty.
Residency Lengths:
http://residency.wustl.edu/medadmin...3edd4e91945f8a2b86256f850071ae49?OpenDocument


Example (Neurosurgery):

4 Years in undergrad.
4 Years of medical school.
6 Years of residency. (Where you learn your specialty)
2 Years of fellowship. (Where you learn your subspecialty, in this case we will say Pediatric Neurological Surgery)

=Total of 16 years training.



BUT! Keep in mind, not everyone has to do a fellowship. Having a fellowship will allow you to become board certified in a subspecialty. Most people will do a fellowship.

 

[Valadi]

It can take more than 12 years depending on your desired specialty.
Residency Lengths:
http://residency.wustl.edu/medadmin...3edd4e91945f8a2b86256f850071ae49?OpenDocument


Example (Neurosurgery):

4 Years in undergrad.
4 Years of medical school.
6 Years of residency. (Where you learn your specialty)
2 Years of fellowship. (Where you learn your subspecialty, in this case we will say Pediatric Neurological Surgery)

=Total of 16 years training.



BUT! Keep in mind, not everyone has to do a fellowship. Having a fellowship will allow you to become board certified in a subspecialty. Most people will do a fellowship.

Most people do not do a fellowship, last I heard.

 

[neoevolution]

I tried googling for the percent of doctors who complete a fellowship and couldn't really find anything. I'm sure it varies significantly by field, but I'm annoyed I can't find the numbers.

 

[IlDestriero]

I tried googling for the percent of doctors who complete a fellowship and couldn't really find anything. I'm sure it varies significantly by field, but I'm annoyed I can't find the numbers.

In anesthesia, at my program, it's usually 50%+. I'm sure it's much lower at most places, the overachievers like to overachieve...

Cheers!

 

[neoevolution]

My brother, in radiology, said he thinks the majority of radiologists graduating now are going into fellowships because of the job market but he didn't have any hard numbers either.

 

[penguindoc2012]

Keep in mind that most of us are posting from the USA. Here it is 4 yrs high school, 4 yrs college, 4 yrs med school, 3+ years residency. Then ppl do fellowships if they so desire. However, you are in Europe, so you may not even need to do college and might be able to go straight from high school to med school. You should ask the advisor in your high school--s/he will be able to give you better and more country-specific advice than we can.