Personal tools

Navigation

You are here: Home › Careers › New Zealand Careers › Careers Descriptions › Doctors Careers › Surgeon

Surgeon

Surgeons consult with patients and operate on people to treat and manage some disease and injuries.

Tasks & duties

Surgeons may do some or all of the following:

read reports of patients' health
examine patients and decide whether operations are needed
consult with other medical professionals about patient care
consult with anaesthetists about the operation and the patient's treatment
give instructions about preparing patients for operating theatres
work out the best way to operate
perform and manage operations
instruct and manage what care is to be given after an operation by nursing and medical staff
check the progress of patients in hospital
keep medical records and send final reports to general practitioners
provide follow-up care for patients who have been discharged from hospital
teach medical students and trainee surgeons
carry out research

Specialisations

Surgeons can specialise in the following areas:

Cardiothoracic Surgeon

Cardiothoracic surgeons treat diseases of the heart, lungs and chest wall.

General Surgeon

General surgeons treat diseases of the abdomen, breast and endocrine (glandular) organs.

Neurological Surgeon

Neurological surgeons treat diseases of the brain and nervous system.

Ophthalmologist

Ophthalmologists treat diseases of the eye.

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Orthopaedic surgeons treat diseases of the bones, joints, muscles and soft tissue.

Otolaryngologist

Otolaryngologists treat diseases of the ear, nose and throat.

Paediatric Surgeon

Paediatric surgeons treat a wide range of diseases in children.

Plastic or Reconstructive Surgeon

Plastic or reconstructive surgeons repair, restore, or improve lost, injured, defective, or deformed body parts.

Vascular Surgeon

Vascular surgeons treat diseases of blood vessels, including veins, arteries and lymphatics.

Skills & knowledge

Surgeons need to have:

knowledge of anatomy and how the human body works
knowledge of surgical methods
knowledge of different diseases and illnesses
knowledge of medicines and treatments and the effect these have on patients
diagnostic skills
up-to-date knowledge of new research, treatments and practices
knowledge of medical ethics and law
communication and people skills to relate well to patients and colleagues
decision-making and problem-solving skills
organisational and time management skills
analytical and interpreting skills
report writing skills
an awareness and understanding of other cultures and their attitudes to surgical treatment

Surgeons need to have some knowledge of other medical specialities such as oncology, radiology and pathology. Those who own their own practice also need business skills.

Entry requirements

To become a surgeon you need to complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) and spend at least two years as a junior house surgeon in a hospital before applying for basic surgical training. After two to three years' basic training, you then enter advanced surgical training in a specialisation – this takes four to six years.

Secondary education

A tertiary entrance qualification is required to enter further training. Useful subjects include Bursary or NCEA equivalent maths, chemistry, physics, biology and English.

Training on the job

Surgeons learn surgical skills on the job and through attending surgical skills laboratories where they learn on synthetic materials. Surgeons are required to continue training throughout their careers, attending seminars and courses such as those run through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Courses on new surgical procedures and techniques are also available through medical schools.

Registration

Surgeons need to be a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) or hold an equivalent overseas fellowship or registration approved by the Medical Council of New Zealand to enable them to have vocational registration (essential for all surgical specialists).