<p>it takes very long training to become a cardiothoracic surgeon; but on the flip side, patients want surgeons who have the most experience and training.</p>
<p>as long as you like what you do, you can tolerate it. here it is:</p>
<p>high school - ideally math and science strengths are developed, but not entirely necessary. athletics/art/music hobbies are a plus.</p>
<p>college - excellence in all areas to get into medical school. make sure you also have a well rounded education. laboratory research investigation a plus.</p>
<p>medical school - kick it up a notch and learn as much as possible. excel in your surgery clerkships and subinternships. research projects are also favorable in getting your ideal residency position.</p>
<p>general surgery residency = 1 year internship + 4 years clinical training + optional 1-3 years of research. </p>
<p>cardiothoracic residency = 2-3 years of specialized training.</p>
<p>cardiothoracic superfellowship = additional years of specialized training.</p>
<p>in summary: training to become a heart surgeon takes persistence, motivation and endurance. those who genuinely love this line of work will tolerate all this preparation.</p>
<p>So im in a relationship with a great man and we have been together a long time. We just recently started having discussions about getting married. I feel like my future is going to be good with him and bad its a double edged sword.....on one hand we will be set financially on the other hand I will basically be a single mother because from what I heard he wont be around much and working all the time. I almost wish I hadnt fallen in love with a man who is going into this profession but you cant help who you fall for and I know no matter what im going to support him and stick it out. Any advice/input or tips for me would be great. I dont know if it makes a difference but he wants to be a heart surgeon. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>well...is he a pre-med? a medical student? a resident? a cardiothoracic fellow? Where he is in the timeline of becoming a doctor/surgeon matters a whole lot.</p>
<p>I was confused the first time I read it, too, because I'm not used to reading subject headings on messages.</p>
<p>Sounds like he has at least 7 more year of training ahead of him. With the implementation of 80 hour work weeks and 1 day off/week, he'll have somewhat guaranteed time off; this is unlike the past when there were no hours restrictions. </p>
<p>As far as advice pertaining to what your future relationship holds with him, I'm not sure what to say. I do know of many heart surgeons with families and very understanding and supportive wives. I guess it depends on the spouse; some are willing to accept the situation and I think in the long run will be very happy. Others who require more attention and time may be disappointed. In a sense the spouse plays an important role in the making of a heart surgeon.</p>
<p>Whoops...I completely missed that.</p>
<p>Anyways...If he just started his third year, I wouldn't get super anxious just yet. There's still time for a lot of changes, and a number of people in my class went in completely different directions than where they thought they would at the end of second year. In particular, the exodus from surgery into other fields is nearly entirely a one way street - very few people who thought they'd go into internal medicine or peds or psych end up going to surgery, while a great number who thought they'd be surgeons end up in non-surg specialties (anesthesia and ER are particularly popular amongst the "former" surgeons I know).</p>
<p>More over, the decision to be a CT surgeon is still a number of years away - even if he goes into surgery, changing interests, job markets, and personal commitments can all make a difference in that decision.</p>
<p>If he does go into CT surgery, then yes, he'll be busy. The issue isn't 80 hour work weeks, because once he's in practice, those don't apply any more. I'm not quite sure I'd put it at "single mother" status, but he won't be around as much as a husband who is an accountant. Also, realize that he'll also have regrets about it all...he's not making this decision, nor will he be practicing, in a vacuum. He'll be making sacrifices too.</p>