Many colleges offer programs if you’re interested in becoming a surgeon. Some of these schools focus on providing a specific type of education, while others offer more general courses in anatomy and physiology. This article will cover some of the most common College Majors for Aspiring Surgeons.
About Surgeons
Surgeons are doctors who perform surgery. Most surgeons specialize in one area of medicine and practice that specialty, but some may choose to specialize in multiple areas.
A surgical specialist is a surgeon with additional training in an area of medicine beyond those covered by their primary certification. For example, some surgeons receive additional training in orthopedics or neurosurgeons.
Surgeons are the highest-paid physicians in the United States and have earned this title because their peers have recognized them for years as being among the most effective at what they do, which is not easy.
Surgeons must be highly skilled professionals who take pride in their work while also being able to handle stressful situations and long hours without complaint or even breaking into tears.
You’ll also need at least two years of pre-medicine experience before applying, so make sure that you can handle it all when it comes time for school and life.
You also need to have good grades in your major and sciences classes, as well as a high MCAT score, if you want to get admission into some of the better programs.
Top College Majors For Aspiring Surgeons
You can get into a surgery program through many different majors. Surgery is a very competitive major, so you will need to be prepared for the workload and stress of the program. Below are some top College Majors for aspiring Surgeons:
1. Biology
Biology is the study of living things. It can be divided into two main areas:
- Microbiology, which involves studying how microorganisms work and interact with one another in an organism’s body, as well as how they affect the environment
- Biochemistry focuses on molecular biology and cellular processes within a cell or organism.
2. Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineering is a combination of engineering and biology. Students learn how to design medical devices, instruments, and software while also learning that they are working on human health problems.
They can apply their knowledge in both fields because biomedical engineering covers many different disciplines, including electrical and mechanical engineering and biology.
BME students typically focus on one specific area, like fluid flow or tumor modeling but will also learn some general concepts, such as bioinformatics or tissue modeling.
In addition to learning about these topics directly from experts in those fields (i.e., professors), they will also have access to laboratories where they can try out their ideas first-hand without having any risk involved if things don’t work out exactly as planned.
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3. Biochemistry
Biochemistry is the process of studying chemical processes in living organisms. It is a science that deals with the chemical makeup and functioning of living organisms, bridging the gap between biology and chemistry.
Biologists study how life works at a molecular level, while chemists focus on macroscopic properties such as color or taste. Through biochemistry, you’ll learn about cells, enzymes, and hormones—all that surgeons need to know about to practice medicine.
4. Medical Laboratory Science
Medical laboratory science is an ever-growing field, and it’s one of the best majors for people who like science and want to help people. You can use medical laboratory science as an entry into a surgery program, but you may need additional education or training if you want to get into the medical field as a surgeon.
Medical laboratory scientists work with many different types of patients at medical centers all around the world. They analyze blood samples from patients so that doctors can make better decisions about their treatments or surgeries.
Many jobs also require working under pressure in fast-paced environments where mistakes could harm someone’s health or even cause death.
5. Physiology
Physiology is the study of how the body works, and it’s a broad field that can be broken down into subfields, such as cardiovascular physiology and respiratory physiology.
The courses you take in college will help you become more familiar with these different areas of physiology if you want to focus on one particular area.
For example, digestive or renal, you may choose to take some additional classes related to that area before going on to graduate school in that field at medical school or another graduate program after undergrad.
6. Anatomy
Anatomy is the process of studying the structure of living things, which includes human beings and animals. It’s a pre-medicine major that can be used as an entry point into medical school or residency programs.
Anatomy is also helpful for aspiring surgeons because it provides you with a basic knowledge of physiology and human anatomy, which will help you understand injuries better when you’re on the operating table in medical school or later in life as a surgeon.
7. Chemistry
Chemistry is a good major for surgery, and it helps you understand the science behind many procedures, including anesthesia and heart surgery.
Chemistry is a good major for medical school, and this is because it shows you how to solve chemical problems and how to use them in medicine.
Chemistry is also useful for dentistry school because it teaches you how to analyze substances using chemical reactions and understand their effects on human health and disease prevention. For example, fluoride.
Veterinary medicine often uses chemistry in its practices. For example, veterinarians use drugs like antibiotics or vaccines made from plants or animals.
8. Microbiology And Immunology
To become a microbiologist or immunologist, one must study the immune system and infectious diseases. As a microbiologist, you might work in research labs that study bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
You can also get into medical school if you are interested in this field and are willing to undergo additional training before applying for residency positions.
9. Genetics And Genomics
Genetics and genomics are two different fields. Genetics is the study of genes, while genomics is the study of genomes. Genomics is a more recent field than genetics and has become more comprehensive as time passes.
What does “geneticist” mean? A geneticist studies how humans inherit traits like eye color or hair color from their parents or ancestors.
They may also work in basic research to discover new ways for scientists to understand DNA structure or function by analyzing data from lab experiments involving mice and fruit flies (which have very similar genomes despite being so different).
Genetics majors usually major in biology, but some pursue other specializations within that field, such as biochemistry/molecular biology/cellular biology (one type of life science), evolutionary biology (another type), etc., depending on interests outside of their typical coursework.
10. Neuroscience
Neuroscience has to do with studying how the brain works. It’s a broad field that touches on many different topics, including:
- Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology which is the study of nerves and their function.
- Neurochemistry is the science behind chemical processes in the brain.
- Neurotransmitters and receptors in neurons are proteins that receive messages from other cells or chemicals outside them. These messages tell your nervous system what to do next.
11. Pharmacy Sciences And Administration, Pharmacology And Toxicology
Pharmacy is another great major for aspiring surgeons. Pharmacy majors learn about the science of pharmacology and toxicology, and these can help them prepare for the MCAT.
The requirements vary from school to school, but most require at least two years of coursework in medicine and science before entering pharmacy school. You may also want to consider going into pre-medicine or pre-pharmacy instead of medical school if you want to become a surgeon later on in life.
12. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
This is a broad category that includes many different majors. You can get into surgery through this major, but it’s not the only health professional you should consider if you want to be a surgeon. Some examples of majors in this category include:
- Medicine and dentistry (MD/DDS).
- Nursing.
FAQs
1. What Major Is Best For Becoming A Surgeon?
Biology is among the most common majors for those who have decided to pursue a medical career, especially for aspiring doctors and surgeons.
2. Which Degree Is Best For A Doctor?
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, also known as MBBS, is one of the predominant medical graduate degrees for becoming a doctor. Approximately every candidate has thought of medical courses, and their first choice is to opt for MBBS as a medical course.
3. What Kind Of Person Becomes A Surgeon?
Intelligence, professionalism, conscientiousness, creativity, courage, and persistence on behalf of your patients are critical factors that outweigh the small differences in the skill of most medical students.
4. Which Surgeon Is The Hardest To Become?
In addition to the five main specialties mentioned above, the most difficult fields to become a doctor include interventional radiology, radiation oncology, vascular surgery, general surgery, and medicine.
5. What Major GPA Do You Need For Med School?
The Association of American Medical Colleges, also known as AAMC, reported an average medical school GPA of 3.60 for all applicants in the 2021-2022 application cycle.
6. Do Minors Look Good For Med School?
A minor can be a good addition to a medical school application, but it’s unlikely to make or break it. Before committing to a minor, decide if you have time in your schedule to complete the appropriate coursework.
7. What College Has The Best Pre-Med?
Harvard College provides a peer pre-med advising program where students are assigned a pre-med tutor in their sophomore through senior years.
8. Which Is The Easiest Field For A Doctor?
Physiology is the easiest to become would be a general practice doctor. They can work anywhere they want and can change whenever they want. They are trained in every field that a person can need medical treatment.
9. What Type Of Intelligence Does A Surgeon Have?
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. Athletes, dancers, surgeons, and craftsmen exhibit well-developed bodily kinesthetic intelligence.
10. What Age Do You Usually Become A Surgeon?
According to the responses, surgical resident training begins between the ages of 24 and 30 (mean age 26.5). The training period varies between 5 and 10 years (6 years on average).
Conclusion
If you’re interested in a career as an orthopedic surgeon, neurosurgeon, or plastic surgeon, the best way to get into one of these programs is through a bachelor’s degree program.
These programs will also prepare you for professional certifications and licensing requirements if you decide later on down the road that this is where you want to go with your career.