Is it possible to be a part-time surgeon?

Is it possible to have time for family as a cardiac heart surgeon?

• I've wanted to be a heart surgeon since I was about ten years old. But I'd like to know if it is possible to still be very active if your family life as well as your career ...show more

• Answer:

  Good luck with that. I hate to break it to you, but it's very unlikely you will even make it as a cardiac surgeon. That is not something you just choose to be and then you are one. That is a skill that only a few select have the ability and brains to be. It takes unbelievable skill and dedication. If you are worried about pay and hours, just throw the whole idea out the window. Because you need to be FOCUSED on your job only. It's intensive hours and you are ON CALL most of the time, to come in at any hour. It can be 60 some hours a week. And years of intense, dedicated college. College years: 4 years Pre-Med, 4 years post-grad, 5-6 years residencey, and 3-4 years fellowship. = 16-18 years Where you will spend STUDYING intensely, not out partying. Your LIFE will be your JOB for most of the next 20-30 years. So, don't count on starting a family right away. This does not sound like the job for you. There's only a handful of female heart surgeons around.... they are few and far between.......thats how RARE it is. So dont count on this as your career. Also, by the way -- you do not just CHOOSE your hospital. It's not likely you will be working just where you want to work. Some doctors work across the country from where they went to school. There are many other factors involved. You obviously do not know much at all about this field. You need to do a lot of research, and think about another career. Keep searchin' kid...