Trauma Surgery

[Uspchef]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm interested in trauma surgery and want to go to PCOM. Say I get accepted into PCOM, what should I focus on doing? For instance, should I focus on becoming top of my class, go do research, etc.

I know I'm thinking kinda far ahead but I like to have a goal in mind. Thanks!

 

[hanky1982]

I'm interested in trauma surgery and want to go to PCOM. Say I get accepted into PCOM, what should I focus on doing? For instance, should I focus on becoming top of my class, go do research, etc.

I know I'm thinking kinda far ahead but I like to have a goal in mind. Thanks!

To become a trauma surgeon, you need to first do a general surgery residency. I think the biggest thing is to study hard and do well in your first two years as well as on the boards. Keep those two goals in mind and you should be fine.

 

[sideways]

People aren't exactly kicking down doors to become a trauma surgeon. I suggest you do some research on what it actually entails.

 

[Uspchef]

I'm shadowing a trauma surgeon at the moment. He does do alot of acute care surgery when I'm there (no emergencies or traumas)

I follow his team around too and spoke to some of the residents. They say gen surg residency is hard and difficult and definitely not for everyone.

 

[sideways]

I'm shadowing a trauma surgeon at the moment. He does do alot of acute care surgery when I'm there (no emergencies or traumas)

I follow his team around too and spoke to some of the residents. They say gen surg residency is hard and difficult and definitely not for everyone.

My understanding is that a lot of "trauma" surgeons end up doing medical management and not a lot of surgery. Because most of the time the trauma, after whatever initial stabilization takes place, goes to the surgeon that specializes in whatever the person jacked up on themselves.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I know a trauma surgeon fairly well. My grandfather was involved in a car accident/fire when I was in high school and she saved his life. Because of this, he volunteers down at the hospital where she works and I saw her quite a bit when the issue happened and still hear from her every now and again.

What I can tell you first-hand ...

God bless this woman (no joke, she's a hero), but she has the absolute worst work schedule I've ever seen. She essentially lives at the hospital, said she always wanted a husband and kids but never had time (she's not married), she physically had to live close to the hospital to get there quickly, works all the time, deals with horrendously complicated patients, etc, etc, etc.

I always hear people complain about certain rotations, residencies, etc, but I seriously don't know how much worse they can be than her work. Granted, she worked at a big hospital and didn't have to take care of the smaller stuff, but it seems like people who get into trauma are looking for the big thrill stuff anyway, so like Sideways said ... definitely research this continually (not just from the pre-med shadowing point of view) and keep in mind that you could change you mind.

Other than that ... my guess is that the trauma fellowships aren't overtly competitive. Although, it doesn't look like the AOA has any, which means you'll probably need to go ACGME, which means MD surg residency would be 'best' (even though for non competitive fellowships, AOA surg could work), and this could be a decent challenge TBH.

 

[JaggerPlate]

EDIT:

Is 'critical care surgery' the same thing as trauma surgery? The AOA has a few fellowships in that:

http://opportunities.osteopathic.or...essionid=f030eec75d00f2dcaf2b2c1e4873686a7e15

 

[DrYoda]

EDIT:

Is 'critical care surgery' the same thing as trauma surgery? The AOA has a few fellowships in that:

Yep, you often see the fellowships listed as "surgical critical care and trauma" or something similar.

 

[countthestars]

Trauma is NOT as fun as it may seem. 5 years of gen surgery (which is VERY HARD) and then 2 year fellowship in trauma. The hours SUCK and pay is not all that amazing for spending 7 years in residency. No wonder not that many people choose to do a fellowship in trauma...

 

[oar2386]

I know a trauma surgeon fairly well. My grandfather was involved in a car accident/fire when I was in high school and she saved his life. Because of this, he volunteers down at the hospital where she works and I saw her quite a bit when the issue happened and still hear from her every now and again.

What I can tell you first-hand ...

God bless this woman (no joke, she's a hero), but she has the absolute worst work schedule I've ever seen. She essentially lives at the hospital, said she always wanted a husband and kids but never had time (she's not married), she physically had to live close to the hospital to get there quickly, works all the time, deals with horrendously complicated patients, etc, etc, etc.

I always hear people complain about certain rotations, residencies, etc, but I seriously don't know how much worse they can be than her work. Granted, she worked at a big hospital and didn't have to take care of the smaller stuff, but it seems like people who get into trauma are looking for the big thrill stuff anyway, so like Sideways said ... definitely research this continually (not just from the pre-med shadowing point of view) and keep in mind that you could change you mind.

Other than that ... my guess is that the trauma fellowships aren't overtly competitive. Although, it doesn't look like the AOA has any, which means you'll probably need to go ACGME, which means MD surg residency would be 'best' (even though for non competitive fellowships, AOA surg could work), and this could be a decent challenge TBH.

+1 to everything jagger said.
The other thing is think about the patient population of trauma surgeons. Unless its an MVA or other accident, you are mostly dealing with stabbings and shooting. Pretty much anyone involved in these are going to be shady people. You are going to have a lot of pissed off, combative, and non-cooperative pts.

 

[Taty]

and actually you may change your mind after you do your general surgery rotation (trauma part) (most of my friends did)...its all looks soo different when u are a premed...

 

[MRSAful Fate]

When I used to volunteer in the ED I thought it would be awesome to be a trauma surgeon. I'd see them swoop into the ED when a code trauma came in, assess, order some stuff, and then in a flash they were gone, presumably back to the OR for something awesome. And all the staff treated them like they were gods. But then I shadowed one for a while and came to realize his day was filled with endless rounding on the trauma patients - most of whom hadn't even been to the OR - and then more rounding on the gen/surg patients whom he had operated on. He worked either 24 or sometimes 48 hour shifts at the hospital and most days he would leave the hospital at 7am, go have breakfast, then be at his clinic seeing patients for 8 hours. His life was extremely busy and I got the feeling he was more than a little burned out. The moments of trauma glory are few and the rounding and hours are endless. I don't think I could do it.

 

[kopitar]

I have been hearing from different sources of varying reliabilities that the trauma surgeon breed is dying, at least in larger populations. is there any truth to that?

 

[Kuba]

Let me clear some misconceptions I read in this thread -
To become a trauma surgeon all you need is to have trauma experience in your general surgery residency. (Read: No fellowship required [technically])
Most Trauma surgeons go on to get Surgical Critical Care(Board Certification) (3 DO programs) training either with an extra year of Trauma (Trauma Fellowship - no board certification) or just the one year.

I am starting my training in a very busy Level 1 trauma center, so I do not anticipate having to worry about the extra trauma year (which is basically there if you did not feel comfortable in your trauma training during GS) and I will go on to get SCC board certified by the osteopathic SCC board but likely train at an ACGME SCC fellowship.

To the OP: Trauma is a great field and Acute Care Surgery is an exciting new offshoot. YOur work hours are what you want them to be, there are easier and more difficult schedules. I would consider training at a GS program with a Level 1 affiliation if you are serious about trauma.

Also, dont worry about getting a fellowship - Trauma or SCC - more than half go unfilled every year. Some even offer sign on bonuses to entice applicants.

 

[hanky1982]

To become a trauma surgeon all you need is to have trauma experience in your general surgery residency. (Read: No fellowship required [technically])

Nice, I thought you had to do a fellowship....thanks for clarification.

 

[Bostonredsox]

Trauma is NOT as fun as it may seem. 5 years of gen surgery (which is VERY HARD) and then 2 year fellowship in trauma. The hours SUCK and pay is not all that amazing for spending 7 years in residency. No wonder not that many people choose to do a fellowship in trauma...

First, Surgical Critical Care fellowships are one year for the most part, not two, so it's 5+1 not 5+2. Second, a large percentage of SCC fellows are anesthesia or EM trained as it is not a very popular fellowship amongst the surgeons, same reasons ID isn't in the IM world, you work hard and don't get paid nearly as well as other fellowship trained attending's (vascular, plastics, bariatrics, etc.) Lastly, while technically all you need to take trauma call for a hospital is your GS boards and some trauma experience, which you get during residency, major Level one trauma centers want SCC trained people teaching their residents. As a DO, your going to most likely have to get a AOA GS spot, work your balls off, then apply for an ACGME SCC fellowship spot, which you should not have trouble getting. You will then have to jump through some hoops to get your AOA SCC boards as the ACGME will not let you sit for them as you did an AOA residency. It's the same game we have to do as AOA IM --> ACGME pulm/cc or ACGME cards. Sme extra paperwork, pay a few fees and you'll be ok. Your biggest focus should be working hard for that AOA Gen surg spot as they are very difficult to get and never have any vacancies. You may even have to do a prelim surg year, then reapply for the 5 year residency, then do 1 year fellowship. You better want it badly 😉

 

[Khirurg]

Couple of things. Technically, you don't need to be trauma fellowship trained, to do trauma surgery. BUT...If you want to work in major trauma center (probably any level I, althought, i am not 100% sure), they will not let you take trauma call, unless you are fellowship-trained.
Getting here means gen surg residency followed by a year (usually) of trauma/critical care fellowship. You can get into ACGME fellowship, coming out of AOA residency. It depends on an indivdual resident more so than it does on where he comes from. And getting good fellowship is just like getting good residency. You have to have reasonable resume, have something going for you (research or whatever) and someone help you.
As far as lifestyle is concerned, most of "trauma surgeons" have a general surgery practice with trauma calls. Hence the busy lifestyle. Very popular now is Acute Care Surgery in addition to trauma. These are your neighbourhood surgical hospitalists, who are more of a shift workers than other surgeons. Plus, a lot of them do critical care. Real operative trauma is not that common anymore. Depends where you work, of course. You just manage a lot of ortho and neuro patients.