1. The Road of Becoming a Cardiovascular Surgeon Cheng, Willis College Success 40 Spring Semester, 2006

2. Career Cardiovascular Surgeon M.D.

3. Passion Save lives Inspired by the movie “Patch Adams” Contribute to mankind

4. Kinds of Degrees Doctor of MedicineM.D. Doctor of Osteopathic MedicineD.O. Allopathic physicians-Special emphasis on the body musculoskeletal system preventive medicine holistic patient care More likely than M.D.s to be primary care specialists About half of D.O.s practice general or family medicine general internal medicine general pediatrics

5. Kinds of Specialization Orthopedic Surgeons Specialists in treating the musculoskeletal system Neurological Surgeons Specialists in treating the brain and nervous system Cardiovascular Surgeons Specialists in treating the cardiovascular system Otolaryngology Surgeons Specialists in treating the ear, nose, and throat Plastic or Reconstructive Surgeons Specialists in treating the reconstruction of body parts

6. Education / Training Step 1: 4 years of undergraduate school Pre-Med courses PhysicsMathematic BiologyEnglish Inorganic ChemistryOrganic Chemistry HumanitiesSocial Sciences oVolunteer at local hospitals or clinics to gain practical experience in the health professions

7. MCAT Medical College Administration Test 4 Sections: Verbal ReasoningPhysical Science Biological ScienceWriting Scoring: Verbal, Physical Science, and Biology Science sections of the test are out of 15 maximum points Good Score: 30 Top Score: 36 Maximum Score: 45 Writing is scored from J to T (T being the highest)

8. Education / Training Step 2: 4 years of medical school oFirst two years … laboratories and classrooms AnatomyPhysiology BiochemistryPharmacology PsychologyMicrobiology PathologyMedical Ethics Medical HistoriesMedical Laws Examining patients Diagonsing illnesses

9. Education / Training oNext two years … hospitals Work with patients under the supervision of experienced physicians in hospitals and clinics, learning acute, chronic, preventive, and rehabilitative care Step 3: 3 – 8 years of internship or residency Graduate medical education in a specialty that takes the form of paid on-the-job training (usually in a hospital)

10. Education / Training Alternatives: Some medical schools offer combined undergraduate and medical school programs that last 6 or 7 years rather than the customary 8 years University of Pacific: 6 years Pitzer College: 7 years

11. Education / Training Final Examination Given after the residency or 1 or 2 years of practice by a member of the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS) The ABMS represents 24 specialty boards, ranging from allergy and immunology to urology. A certification in a subspecialty requires another 1 to 2 years of residency

12. Earning Salary Earning Less then two years in specialty Over one year in specialty Anesthesiology$259,948$321,686 Surgery: General$228,893$282,504 Obsetrics: General$203.270$247,348 Psychiatric: General$173,922$180,000 Internal Medicine: General $141,912$166,420 Pediatrics: General$132,953$161,331 Family Practice$137,119$156,010

13. Working Conditions Well-lighted, sterile environments Work long, irregular hours Over 1/3 of full-time surgeons worked 60 or more hours in a week (statistic based on 2004) Only 8% of all surgeons worked part- time, compared with 16% for all occupations

14. Typical Day at Work Stand for long periods while performing surgery Work in hospital or surgical outpatient centers On call surgeons must deal with patients’ concerns over the phone Travel frequently between office and hospital for patients care Make emergency visits to hospitals or nursing homes

15. Employment Growth Surgeons held about 567,000 jobs (statistic in 2004) Employment growth of surgeons is growing faster than average Growth rate will continue through the year 2014 The growing and aging population will drive overall growth in the demand for physician services Consumers continue to demand high levels of care using the latest technologies, diagnostic tests, and therapies job openings will result from physicians and surgeons who retire over the 2004-14 period.

16. Employment Distribution 1: Primary Care2: Specialty

17. Employment Distribution 1: Family Medicine/General Practice2: Internal Practice 3: Obstetrics & Gynecology4:Pediatrics 5: Anesthesiology6: Psychiatry 7:Surgerical Specialties8: All other Specialties 2

18. Employment Patterns New England / Middle Atlantic States The highest ratio of surgeons to population South Central & Mountain States The lowest ratio of surgeons to population Patterns D.O.s are more likely than M.D.s to practice in small cities and towns in rural areas M.D.s tend to locate in urban areas, close to hospital and education centers

19. Demand for Career Demand for surgeons is extremely high New technologies will increase surgical productivity Increasing use of electronic medical records test and prescription orders billing, and scheduling will also improve surgical productivity Job openings will result from the need to replace physicians and surgeons who retire over the 2004- 2014 period

20. Opportunity Reports of shortages in some specialties or geographic areas should attract new entrants Opportunities are particularly good in rural and low- income areas because some surgeons find these areas unattractive due to less control over work hours and isolation from other colleagues

21. Benefits of Career SAVE LIVES