r/surgery

I just graduated from medical school, starting a prelim year in general surgery in a few weeks after not having matched this past cycle (likely applied too top heavy with not enough research to back it up). I am reapplying gen surg this upcoming cycle and putting together a list of schools but just don't know how to approach it.

I know I should apply to 100+ programs with a variety of community, academic, location, etc. Should I apply to places that I applied to last year? Also, my home program PD told me that they don't consider prelims who apply, which makes me worried that there will be many programs that don't also and it will be a wasted application. Any past prelims willing to share which programs gave them interviews if possible? Or just any advice on how to structure a list? Thanks so much in advance!

hello!!! i am a teenager and i am extremely interested in becoming a surgeon but i know it is really hard, how can i train my hand dexterity or other related things to become a good surgeon?

I work at a hospital as an SPD tech and I spend sometime in the main OR mostly storing sterilized items in the different cores. Today I was doing just that and I was in the CV (cardiovascular) core which connects to the CV ORs. There’s always one door with a small window for each room and I sometimes look through when walking by because I’m curious. This time I saw a patient on the bed but completely naked with absolutely nothing covering them. No blanket, gown, or tarp. I was wondering why do they need to be naked during heart/thoracic surgery? If anyone who works in surgery knows I’m curious.

Side note for those who don’t know: cores are storage rooms in between the operating rooms which store procedural trays, instruments, and other equipment. Each core and OR are connected by a specific category like: General, orthopedic, neuro, and etc. At least where I work.

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My father (55) urgently needs cervical spine surgery — confused because relatives are suggesting alternative therapy instead. Need honest advice.

We are from a low middle-class family and I genuinely need guidance from people who may have gone through something similar.

My father has been suffering from severe spine/backbone issues for almost 10 years. Around 2016-17 he fell from stairs, and after multiple consultations and MRI scans over the years, doctors told us that surgery may eventually be required.

At that time, doctors also said surgery cannot guarantee 100% recovery, so we tried medicines, physiotherapy, pain management, and other treatments for years.

But now his condition has become very serious.

Currently:

\- He is almost unable to walk.

\- He cannot stand properly.

\- He crawls to go to the washroom or for small tasks.

\- My mother and I help him with everything.

\- We run a small kirana shop and our financial condition is limited.

Our family situation is also difficult:

\- My elder sister works in Bengaluru.

\- I study in Indore.

\- My mother also has mental health issues.

\- We are a nuclear family and honestly handling everything has become emotionally exhausting.

Recently we consulted:

1. Dr. Ankit Mathur (Apollo, Indore)

2. Dr. Amit Pratap Singh Deora (Choithram Hospital, Indore) – Neurosurgeon with around 16 years experience.

Both doctors advised surgery, and after discussion we agreed for cervical spine surgery because his condition is worsening rapidly.

Personally, Dr. Amit Deora and Choithram staff felt supportive and cooperative, and they explained things properly.

Now the confusion starts.

Some neighbours and local people are strongly telling us to avoid surgery and instead take my father to a therapist/healer in Ujjain. They are claiming many people recovered there.

This is the profile they shared:

"Instagram profile shared by neighbours" (https://www.instagram.com/shiv\\\_medical\\\_nalwa?igsh=MTluYThnd3B4ejBibg%3D%3D&utm\\\_source=chatgpt.com)

My concern is:

\- If we delay surgery and try this therapy, valuable time may be lost.

\- My father already cannot walk.

\- Almost every qualified doctor we met has recommended surgery.

\- But at the same time, surgery is scary and we are financially/emotionally stressed, so these opinions are creating doubt in my mind.

I want honest advice from people who have experience with:

\- Cervical spine surgery

\- Neurosurgery

\- Delaying surgery for alternative treatment

\- Recovery chances after surgery

\- Insurance/corporate insurance process during hospitalization

Questions:

1. In such a serious condition, should we still try alternative therapy before surgery?

2. Has anyone heard about Dr. Amit Pratap Singh Deora from Choithram Hospital? How is the experience?

3. What things should we carefully check before going ahead with surgery and insurance claims?

4. If someone’s family member had similar symptoms (unable to walk/stand), did surgery help?

Please give practical and honest suggestions. I’m still young and handling most decisions for my family right now, so I genuinely want to avoid making a wrong choice.

Thank you for reading.

It takes me time to learn more hands on things. I feel slower compared to my peers but do genuinely enjoy surgery, have the work ethic, attitude, etc. I just worry because it takes me a while to remember how to do certain things which my peers can master pretty quickly. Attendings can get annoyed too if I’m still confused on certain things like suturing. Will this be a major disadvantage?

I had a cyst around my groin. I popped it squeezed really hard so it became a hypotrophic scar. Doctor recommended to remove it and not do steroid shots. Came in that day and noticed a new cyst was growing next to it. She removed such a large chunk. When I saw what she removed it look like not just cyst tissue but my normal skin tissue as well.

Is this normal? Did she made the right call to do surgery to remove the cyst??

I've been hearing recently that robots in the future may be automating the jobs of actual surgeons. Is this accurate? Will there be no human surgeons in the future?

I understand the purpose to remove bacteria before a surgery. Less you bring in the better, Cool.

But lets say a person is having something like out patient hand surgery, why would they be instructed to do a wipe down of their whole body and then put on clean but non sterile street clothes, sit in a non sterile car, etc?

I am a smoker and I have a surgery on the 15th and I'm really freaking out, because my mom doesn't know I smoke none of my providers know I smoke and I'm really freaking out that I'll die on the table or they'll cancel my surgery if I go back to pre-op by myself and come clean. Anyone have any advice or words of wisdom? It's dental surgery so I'm really freaking out

EDIT: I've been trying to quit 3-5 days before like the paper said but I'm struggling

I am going to start ENT residency in 1-3 months. But since my graduation in 2022, I worked in Public Health and Family Medicine, with occasional shifts in the ER. So I haven’t really sutured anything or studied anatomy since med school. I don’t want to make a fool of myself when I start.

Should I buy a suture education kit and practice on it using youtube videos?

I am planning on studying head and neck anatomy but Netter is really confusing and I can’t tell what is important or not. Should I buy Thieme Atlas for head and neck? Or maybe Acland videos?

I can also subscribe to some educational website, I learn best when I am listening to a lecturer. If there are good beginner textbooks I can also get them.

Thank you in advance!

Hello, I’m interested in pursuing medical science, and i’m particularly fascinated by surgical procedures and external/internal anatomy. Does anybody know where I might be able to (safely) access images like this? Maybe a medical portfolio of sorts for trainees? To clarify, I am not off-put by controlled medical gore.