Following completion of a M.D. degree program, graduates interested in a career as a surgeon enter a general surgery residency which typically lasts five years. In order to practice, I must be licensed by a state medical board. Licensure general requirements include completing medical school and a residency program, and taking and passing licensing exams. The most common exam is the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
Finally, to become a Doctor of Medicine I must earn a bachelor’s degree, take the MCAT, complete medical school, complete a residency based on my career interests, pass the USMLE, receive my license, then certify in a specialty. Earning a specialty certification is not required, but it will increase my employment opportunities.
Trauma surgery encompasses treatment of the most severe, life-threatening, penetrating, and blunt force injuries. A career as a trauma surgeon involves operating on critical, and often multiple injuries to different organ systems. As a trauma surgeon I will also work with surgeons in other specialties to stabilize patients in critical condition, and will usually work in the emergency care area of a hospital or medical center. I envision myself working at the number one trauma center in south Florida: St. Mary’s Trauma