US MD. First time Pass on step 1. Step 2 score is 238. 5 publications and 6 honors in Clarkship including surgery. One sub-I.4 letters.
MS3 here with strong interest in surgery. I just finished my IM rotation and realized that the hospitalist, and most IM specialist have a sweet schedule of 7 days on 7 off. I am wondering if this is possible to achieve in surgery/surgery subspecialties (cardiothoracic or vascular)? Can I work a 0.6 FTE and have somewhat of a decent schedule in which I don't completely hate my life?
Almost every surgeon I ever interacted with works 70k hours a week, has 3 divorces with one more pending, does not know the names of their children/dog, and has poor overall health. I have little interest in IM, but that 7 on 7 off schedule interests me.
I'm seriously considering general surgery, but I have a concern: I think slowly, move slowly, and have a slow reaction time. I'm not "quick" in the typical sense.
I also understand that surgery is extremely serious, and a surgeon's weaknesses can directly harm patients. I don't want to pursue this because of my own ambitions if it means putting people at risk. So I'm looking for an honest answer, not encouragement.
I'd love input from surgeons, residents, and med students:
. Does speed (thinking, moving, reacting) matter as much as people assume? Where does it matter, and where doesn't it?
. Where is the line between "methodical and careful" and "too slow to be safe"? What would a red flag look like in training?
. Do you know good surgeons who are methodical and slow? How do they handle emergencies, trauma, or intraop bleeding?
. Does slowness improve with training and pattern recognition, or is it a hard limit?
. How do training programs and attendings evaluate this, and what happens if a resident isn't fast enough?
. What traits matter more than speed (judgment, composure, preparation, precision)?
. Would a different field suit a deliberate person better?
A bit about me: I'm not that strong at first-aid and resuscitation algorithms. I noticed this in my anesthesiology and critical care classes. I'm not afraid of blood or large wounds. At most, I get flustered and don't know what exactly I should be doing in a given situation. I can work slowly, but quite accurately. I think my fine motor skills are well developed. I enjoy doing anything with my hands, and it comes more easily to me than other things.
Please be blunt. Discouraging answers are just as valuable as encouraging ones. Thanks!
I have a dilemma, im currently applying for general surgery residency and only 1 of my LOR has been submitted. I have reached out to the other 2 and still no response. Should i reach out to other surgeons or wait it out. I guess I'm wondering if it will look bad if I reach out this late cause they probably know application are already submitted.