Starting residency at 35 and completing a fellowship is a journey filled with challenges, but also immense reward.
Six years of training may seem like a long time, but with maturity, focus, and prior life experience, it’s possible to excel in surgery and truly enjoy the work.
The variety in your schedule, such as spending2-3 days in the OR per week and balancing it with clinical responsibilities, provides both excitement and relief, especially after long clinic days.
While pursuing a career as a surgeon-scientist can be incredibly fulfilling, it often requires navigating the complexities of protected research time, securing funding, and balancing a clinical workload. If research is a key goal, exploring academic roles with the right infrastructure for research is essential.
However, it’s also important to recognize that transitioning to careers outside of medicine, like finance or consulting, might offer flexibility, but may not provide the same sense of purpose that clinical practice and patient care offer.
Ultimately, surgery is a fulfilling career for those who love the work, and it’s never too late to follow that passion, whether you aim to be involved in research or focus more on clinical practice. The reward of doing what you love makes the years of training well worth the effort.