How to Become a Surgeon

A Comparison Between North American Requirements Vs. African Curriculum

A surgeon is a physician that specializes in surgery, a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition in the purpose of trying to cure a disease, healing an injury or improving bodily function or appearance. The surgeon performs the surgical procedure, operation, or simply surgery. A surgeon can perform general surgery that includes cardiothoracic surgery, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, pediatric surgery, colorectal surgery, transplant surgery, surgical oncology, trauma surgery, endocrine surgery, breast surgery, and skin surgery. Meanwhile, Specialist surgeons perform surgery for otolaryngology, gynecological, oral and maxillofacial, orthopedic, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, podiatric surgery and urology.

Trail of to a Surgeon’s Career in Africa

Becoming a surgeon by profession requires passion and vocation. Embarking a career as a surgeon will require formal studies of 10 years or longer. Thus, perseverance is key to attaining the specialization. The educational requirements of becoming a surgeon starts from being a general practitioner. Thus, in Africa, one has to enroll a six-year medicine course, graduate and get a MB BCh, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae degree, and fulfill a mandatory full-time internship that varies in terms from 1 year to 2 year to 3 year housemanships. The internship is required to be taken in University or Government Teaching hospitals accredited by the medical school. After which medical licensure as a General Practitioner is obtained. Then, more often than not, the doctor has to register with the regulating council or any regulating agency in whichever region he is desiring to practice his profession. Then, one has to gain practical experience for at least a number of years as a general practitioner before considering specializing in surgery. This is the first step to conquering the strict and competitive admission criteria for a trainee as a general surgeon. One will have to get an admission as a candidate to the training program of the surgical department of a medical school before becoming acknowledged in a fellowship of surgeons.

Becoming a Surgeon in North America

In North America, the post-secondary education and training path to be a surgeon will start from an undergraduate education earning a Bachelor’s degree for 4 years. Then, the students takes a Graduate or Professional education to either become a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) for another 4 years. Then, the student takes medical residency training for surgical specialization which would take another 5 to 6 years depending on the surgical specialty. Then, the student takes a sub-specialty fellowship training which is optional as an  advanced sub-specialty which would take another 1 to 4 years depending on the fellowship program.

Medicine and Other Medical Scholarships in Africa

To get a scholarship for medicine degree or any other medical course, you may check out the following African scholarships:

• ACCES scholarship program
• Africa Educational Trust Undergraduate International Outreach Bursaries
• African Graduate Scholarships in International Health and Development
• Africa Scholarship Scheme
• Associated Board International Scholarships
• Developing Countries Scholarships – CUD Scholarship Program
• Global Online Distance Learning Scholarships for Africans and Asians at University of Edinburgh
• International Undergraduate Student Scholarships
• Kenya Merit Undergraduate Scholarship – The University of Sheffield
• Kenya University Chancellor’s Scholarship
• Nigeria University Scholarship Scheme
• OPEC Fund Scholarship Award
• Refugee and Asylum Seeker Scholarships
• Shell Nigeria University Scholarship Awards
• The Kenya Youth Education Scholarship Fund
• Undergraduate & Master’s Mandela Rhodes Scholarships in Africa
• Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students
• Undergraduate Scholarships for Kenyan Students
• University Graduate School Development Trust Africa Scholarships
• University Of Nairobi Scholarships
• Working to Advance African Women Foundation Scholarship
• Youth Education Scheme Scholarship

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