Physical requirements to be a surgeon?

BrainFreak

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Are there any certain physical requirements or qualifications you need to be a surgeon? Because my anatomy teacher says you need to have things like perfect vision, good stamina, and a capacity to see blood. What's bothering me is that I wear glasses, my stamina isn't great, and I feel faint when I see blood sometimes. However, I really want to study medicine. Is there anything I can do?


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Perfect vision is not essential. Surgeons can wear glasses in the OR, and in surgical specialties where you use assistive devices to see what you're doing like surgical loupes or microscopes, I'm sure those devices can be adjusted to whatever degree of correction you need. As far as feeling faint when you see blood, that's something you get used to. It's not uncommon for med students to pass out and hit the floor (better that than falling into the surgical field!) their first time in the OR. Many of those still end up becoming surgeons, OB-gyns etc. It's all a matter of desensitization, as well as taking simple precautions like going into the OR well fed and well hydrated, not locking your knees when you stand, etc.

Physical endurance does play a big role. You stand in one place and hold sometimes uncomfortable positions for hours at a time. This is particularly true in orthopedic surgery, where trainees (medical students and residents) often have to stand there holding heavy limbs while the attending operates, sometimes for hours.

Don't feel like you have to have this question figured out before deciding if you want to study medicine. If you end up going to medical school and deciding you enjoy the OR environment and do well in it, then great! If you go to medical school and discover that you don't, you can always bite the bullet and suffer through the total of 3-4 months of surgical specialties you are required to do in med school, then go into a field where you never have to see the inside of an OR again. I was one of those people who went into medical school thinking "surgery or bust," then discovered that I just wasn't cut out for it. I'm starting residency in an non-surgical field of medicine in a few weeks, and I regret nothing.
 
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Great post above. Hit everything I was going to say when I read the question. OP, don't worry at this point. If you're interested in medicine, pursue it!
 
Vision--if it can be corrected close to 20/20 you'll be fine. Most surgeons I know wear glasses or contacts.
Stamina--can you stand for prolonged periods of time? If so, you're fine. Some cases do require more strength than others, but I have seen people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels operate competently.
Blood--most people get used to it. While it is not uncommon for someone to get faint or even pass out in the OR, usually this isn't due to blood so much as things like being there on an empty stomach, locking your knees, and thinking about if you feel faint.
 
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