<p>Can anyone please give a summary of what it takes to become a plastic surgeon? I mean, the type of classes and medical schools/courses one must take in order to pursue a career in plastic surgery? Does it take longer to become a plastic surgeon than a regular doctor? Is it considered an especially hard field of medicine etc?</p>
<p>Thanks! I'd appreciate it very much</p>
<p>all i know is that it takes a lot of years in residency</p>
<p>Training for plastic surgery doesn't begin until residency (usually after a couple of years of general surgery residency). Total number of years in residency is around 6 (it varies), compared to, for instance, internal medicine or pediatrics which are 3. College and med school are exactly the same as for any other type of doctor.</p>
<p>Texas137 has got it, but I think there are more years of residency for plastic surgery. 6 years is about the length of a general surgery residency, and then plastics is a specialty on top of that. But seriously, dont' worry about all that right now. The first obstacle is getting into med school. Then the boards. :)</p>
<p>Basically its 4 years of College, in which you must take:
1 yr of Organic Chem
1 yr of Inorganic Chem
1 yr of Physics
1 yr of Biology/Zoology
1 yr of English
(some med schools also may require 1 semester of biochem and/or statistics).
On top of that you must take the MCAT.</p>
<p>Once into med school its another long 4 yrs:
The first two years usually consist of learning the basic introductory sciences needed to be a doctor (ranging from gross anatomy to pharmacology). In your thrid and fourth years you will be doing clincial work/ clerkships. You will also have to take USMLE steps 1, 2, and 3 along the way.</p>
<p>From there you will complete your residency, which greatly varies in length depending upon your area of interest or specialty.</p>