Kimberly Said:

""""single mom need help on choices!!! help me please.. school starting soon!!!!!?

We Answered:

Do the one that's fastest. Then you can be working as an LPN and picking up lots of practical experience while adding to your education to become an RN.

Carol Said:

Does better schooling make a better surgeon, necessarily?

We Answered:

First of all, you are doing WELL in school. Perhaps a few more English classes are in order? :)

Being a "great" surgeon has only a little to do with your training, and a lot to do with how you apply that training once you're out of residency. You can be technically the best at doing a procedure, but knowing when to do it, and when NOT to, is important.

Remembering that your patient is a human being, and being cognizant of the entire person, and not just his/her disease, is also important. Many surgeons fail to look beyond the injury or illness to see if surgery is warranted at all. Just because you CAN fix something does not mean you SHOULD fix it. (Example: Do you replace a hip in a patient with a cardiac ejection fraction of 15%? Answer: NO!)

"Great" surgeons also care about the people they work with. I've worked with some who could do surgery just fine, but were nasty people ("malignant personality disorder", we sometimes say). When you fail to recognize that you are part of a team of hard working professionals, and think it's all about you, you cease being a "great" surgeon.

You will get out of medical school and residency what you put into it. If you're one of the ones who hides in the call room instead of assisting on cases, you'll be a lousy surgeon. If you realize that you are there to learn, take criticism well, and seek out opportunities to improve your skills, you can be a great surgeon regardless of where you do your residency.

And never, ever forget to be kind to the OR nurses. They can make you or break you.