What Skills Would I Need for Being a Surgeon?
Surgeons must undergo extensive training and obtain years of education in order to practice their profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs for surgeons should increase by about 22 percent from 2008 to 2018. The bureau notes that surgeons made a mean annual salary of $219,770 as of May 2009. Surgeons must develop a number of important skills in order to be effective in their jobs.
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Physical Skills
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Surgeons complete a medical residency after they complete medical school in order to hone their physical skills as a surgeon. They typically work under the direction of a board certified surgeon who works in their intended field of specialization and can help them develop the skills that they need. Among those skills are the much needed motor skills required for surgeons to perform their jobs correctly. Surgeons need excellent hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity, or the ability to make highly skilled and coordinated movements with one or both hands with a great deal of precision. Surgeons must also have the physical stamina to stand for long periods of time.
Listening Skills
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One area that surgeons need to have a tremendous amount of skill in is their ability to listen. Surgeons often provide consultations with their patients prior to performing surgery on them and need to ensure that patients are fully aware of the implications and physical side effects of having surgery. Surgeons need to have active listening skills, which include the ability to ask the right questions to ensure that the right procedure is being performed and in such a way that is acceptable to the patient, but according to medical guidelines.
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Concentration Skills
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Much of the knowledge that surgeons bring to the operating table is learned during medical school and the surgical residence. Surgeons must have the ability to recall that knowledge and apply it in the midst of complex procedures. This requires a great deal of mental stability and concentration. Surgeons must not be easily distracted and need to be able to tune out outside noise and distractions, along with any personal distractions going on in their own lives that might affect their ability to perform surgical procedures.
Critical-Thinking Skills
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Sometimes surgeries don't go as expected. Surgeons need excellent critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in order to be successful in their careers. They must be able to recognize problems and deal with them swiftly by either using established procedures or using more innovative approaches to ensure the success of the surgery. This is especially true in life-saving situations.
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