The path to becoming a surgeon is long and arduous, beginning with years of theoretical medical studies at university. After passing the particularly competitive residency entrance exam, the medical student becomes a resident. This phase is fundamental, marked by immersion in the hospital environment, where the resident acquires practical skills under the supervision of experienced surgeons. It is a period of intensive learning, demanding on-call duties, but also of initial medical responsibilities. Progress is punctuated by exams and skill validations, each step bringing the resident closer to the prestigious title of surgeon.
Key steps in the surgical journey: from student to resident
Medical students face a decisive turning point in their professional future during the ECN (national ranking exams). These dreaded exams determine entry into residency and the choice of specialty. In surgery, competition is fierce, particularly in plastic surgery, the most sought-after specialty by future residents and often subject to reductive clichés.
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To discover the multiple facets of surgery and refine their professional project, students undertake a internship during their externship in their fourth to sixth years of study. This essential immersion allows them to grasp the realities of the profession and to encounter various specialties, including plastic surgery, which is not limited to aesthetics but also encompasses reconstructive surgery, oncology, and the care of burn victims.
Plastic surgery, so often misunderstood, requires close collaboration with other specialists such as dermatologists, gynecologists, and orthopedic surgeons, depending on the procedures performed. This rich interdisciplinarity shapes the daily lives of residents and enriches their training.
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As for the salary of a surgical resident, it reflects the years of rigorous study and increasing responsibilities. Surgical residents, like the 2022 ECN cohort, where 20 out of 28 positions in plastic surgery were filled by men, engage in a demanding yet promising path, with the prospect of making a significant contribution to the medical field and the quality of life of patients.
The daily life of a surgical resident: training, responsibilities, and prospects
Within university hospitals, surgical residents embark on a journey filled with technical learning and major decisions. Prescilia, 27, in her second year of residency in Montpellier, describes a demanding pace, blending surgical practice and theory, where precision and rapid learning are essential. Initially interested in gynecology, she was drawn to the breadth of skills required in plastic surgery, a specialty that, far from clichés, focuses on complex reconstruction and repair procedures of the human body.
Thomas, 26, in his third year of residency in Lyon, emphasizes the low representation of plastic surgery in traditional teachings, which necessitates a proactive approach from residents to grasp the subtleties of the field. Acquiring specific skills, such as mastering microscopic surgical techniques, is essential for the success of reconstructive procedures and collaboration with other specialists like dermatologists, gynecologists, and orthopedic surgeons.
Valentin, a second-year resident in Paris, highlights the importance of gradually assumed responsibilities, which prepare for the autonomous care of patients. Plastic surgery, with its multiple facets including body morphology, skin and breast oncology, and post-traumatic operations, requires constant updating of knowledge and the ability to manage varied clinical cases. These responsibilities forge the expertise of residents and open the door to enriching career prospects, both in the public and private sectors.