Update on 2024-04-15

How to Become Surgeon - Steps to Become Surgeon in India

A Surgeon is a physician who performs surgery or operation on patients. The surgery may be conducted to treat patients suffering from disease, deformity, or injury through operative procedures to alter the body tissues. These medical professionals also conduct diagnostic procedures on the patients along with preventive and elective surgeries.

A Surgeon can be a general surgeon or may be able to perform specialized operations like orthopedic, neurological, plastic, hernia repair, reconstructive, Cesarean section, cardiovascular, appendectomy, or biopsies.

How to Become Surgeon In India:

A surgeon’s career is extremely bright and full of opportunities. All those guys who wonder - How to become a surgeon, let me tell one thing, To be a successful surgeon one needs to work hard, remain dedicated, and have the passion to serve society.

Besides operating procedures, a surgeon has to fulfill outpatient duties, perform administrative activities and conduct teaching sessions. Advancements in the field of medical technology have made a surgeon adapt to both modern and contemporary ways of surgery.

Eligibility to Become Surgeon:

Pass 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as the main subject
Require at least 60% in the +2 examination
Appear in the All India Medical entrance test NEET UG
Entrance exams are also conducted by states and independent bodies like PMT
Admission to medical colleges is granted based on the rank of the candidate

Qualification to Become Surgeon:

A five-year degree in medicine recognized by the General Medical Council
2 Year general foundation training
2 Year core surgical training in a hospital
Master of Surgery (MS) Degree in General Surgery
Specialization in any of the fields like Cardiothoracic, Urology, Pediatric, Gynaecology, Plastic, Maxillofacial, Vascular, and others
6 years of specialized training

Medical College training requires gaining practical skills along with theoretical knowledge. In the final years of Medical College, students have to work with patients in clinics and hospitals. It is good for medical students to volunteer at local clinics or hospitals to gain a competitive edge over their peers.

Besides the eligibility and qualifications for being a surgeon, a residency program with an able mentor will pave the way for a successful career as a surgical specialist.

How to Become Surgeon After 12th:

After studying class 12 with subjects Physics, Chemistry and Biology the candidate has to appear for the National Eligibility Entrance Test NEET-UG.
The candidate should secure at least 50% in each of the above subjects in the 12th board exams.
English is the compulsory language for appearing in the NEET examination.
The NEET exams are held in May.
The candidate has to read the NCERT biology books to the core. Besides, there are several reference books for appearing in the NEET exams. Renowned ones including Arihant, NEET-AIPMT, HC Verma, etc are available.
It is advisable to solve mock question papers within the available time slot (3 hours) to improve accuracy and speed.
The eligibility criteria for AIIMS and JIPMER are the same.
There are a total of 180 questions carrying 4 marks each. 1 mark is deducted for an incorrect answer. Also, multiple answers for a question will invite negative marking.
Admission to Government Medical College will require over 550 marks as per the rankings.
After the online counseling sessions that are held in June, admissions start in August.
After completion of the MBBS Course, the candidates must attend 1-year training before completion of graduation.
It is necessary to register with the Medical Council of India or the State Medical Council before adding Dr to the candidate’s name.
After MBBS, the candidate should perform rural service, the duration of which is fixed by the state.
After the rural service, the candidate is ready to appear for the NEET-PG examination to attain the Master's Degree.
It takes 3 years to complete MD. A person with an MD degree becomes a physician.
However, to gain surgical expertise the candidate can also opt for MS. After completion of MS, the candidate can work as a surgeon.

To become a surgeon after the 12th requires skills, expertise, and the correct aptitude. If the financial aspects are compared, surgical fields have more prospects than non-surgical ones.

Job field and Salary After Becoming a Surgeon:

Job Prospects:

if you have understood - "How to Become Surgeon" so let's now discuss the job prospects of a surgeon. A registered Surgeon can find work opportunities in a government hospital, private hospitals, academic medicine, institutional practice, or a visiting surgeon in various hospitals. The job field of surgeons depends on the environment in which the surgeon is working.

Government Hospital:

The surgeon can treat patients who don’t have access to advanced healthcare facilities.
Has an organized system of pay and promotions
The time spent by the surgeons in the hospitals is much more than the physicians.
There are a wide variety of choices for the surgeons depending upon the size of the hospitals or the areas of healthcare in which it is specializing.

Private Hospital:

Private hospitals provide more professional independence to the candidate.
The Surgeon can decide on the type of patients that he wants to attend, working hours and the hospital of his choice.
Private hospitals encourage surgeons to engage in active inpatient care.
The surgeon can avail himself of employment benefits and office-based surgeries.

Academic Medicine:

This includes teaching and research along with patient care.
Research-oriented medical facilities attract patients with less likely disorders.
Surgeons can become part of the research community and contribute to the advancements in the medical field.

Institutional Practice:

This offers the surgeon facilities of patient care, research, and educational activities.
This helps the surgeon to avail full-time practice with a particular healthcare organization.
This provides the surgeon with healthcare coverage, insurance, and retirement benefits.
Allows flexible work schedules and creates an international renown image for the surgeon.

Visiting Surgeon:

The surgeon can be attached to multiple hospitals simultaneously
More work is done and the surgeon can bill the patient directly.

Salary of a Surgeon:

How to become a surgeon topic will be incomplete without giving you guys the idea of the salary of a surgeon. The salary of a surgeon depends upon his type of practice. Surgeons in Tier 1 cities earn much more than in Tier 2 or Tier 3 cities.

Surgeons in Government hospitals have a fixed salary of 1 lakh to 2.5 lakh per month, while those in private institutions may earn up to 50 lakh per month. In today’s time, the salary of the surgeon depends upon the number of surgeries performed. General surgeons earn about 2 to 3 lakhs per month while surgeons specializing in neuro or cardiac surgery earn more than 10 lakh per month.

Summary: I hope you understood this Article "how to become a surgeon".The job of a surgeon requires in-depth medical knowledge, skills, precision, and dedication. A surgeon’s career is a satisfying one as it contributes to the well-being of individuals. The average salary of surgeons is quite high and this paves way for promising career opportunities.