Surgical Training Requirements by Specialty
If you’re a surgical student who is trying to choose your specialty, it’s crucial to know that different specialties have shorter or longer residency training periods.
Residency Training Periods by Surgical Specialty
Once you’ve completed medical school, you’ll need to enter a residency program to specialize in different areas of Surgery. The main surgical specialty areas and their respective residency periods are:
General Surgery
Most surgical specialties will require you to complete a general surgery residency of 5 years plus additional residency time.
Surgical Specialty Requirements
Colon and Rectal Surgery requires completion of general surgery residency plus an additional year of residency working on colon and rectal surgery.
Gynecologic Oncology is an intense residency, which requires four years of training in Obstetrics and Gynecology followed by an additional 2 – 3 years of residency in gynecological oncology.
Neurological Surgery requires one year of residency in general surgery followed by five years of training in neurological surgery.
Obstetrics and Gynecology demands four years of training, with three years spent on obstetrics and gynecology followed by an additional year of elective training.
Ophthalmic Surgery requires a year of patient care and three years of training in ophthalmology.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery requires that you complete your four-year degree in dentistry before entering a general surgery training program that lasts an additional four years.
Orthopedic Surgery requires a four-year training period in orthopedic Surgery followed by a one-year training period of broad patient care.
Otolaryngology requires that you complete a year of general surgery training, one year of elective training and an additional three years spent on otolaryngology training.
Pediatric Surgery specialists must have two years of general surgery experience on top of entering a full-time pediatric surgery fellowship program that is approved.
Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery experts will require intense training, which includes three years of training in preparatory Surgery, an additional two years of training in plastic surgery, and, while not required, an additional six months to a year of training in an area of interest.
Thoracic Surgery requires students to complete their general surgery requirements before entering into an additional two years in a residency program.
Urology students must complete a minimum of two years of general surgical training before focusing on urology training. While urology training may be as short as three years, most students can expect to stay in training for four years.
Vascular Surgery students must complete their general surgery training before going into a vascular surgery program. The vascular surgery residency will last for one to two years.
While residency programs are long and intense, they allow you to enter into a high-paying career where you’re on the front lines of life-saving surgical procedures.
Students should choose their residency programs carefully and spend time finding a program that offers balance and learning opportunities that help them become well-rounded surgeons.
