Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Choosing a postgraduate branch is one of the biggest and most stressful decisions of your medical journey. With counselling results out and multiple rounds still to come, many of you are stuck with the same question:
👉 Should I take Surgery… or should I not?
Some of you may already have a surgery seat in hand and are seeking reassurance. Others are confused by what you’ve seen during internship — the long duty hours, exhausted residents, and stories of poor work–life balance.
This blog is for everyone standing at this crossroads.
Let’s talk openly about what surgical residency really looks like, the myths around it, what life is like after MS/DNB Surgery, and whether this field is truly right for you.
Why I Chose Surgery – My Journey?
I completed my MBBS from Grant Medical College & JJ Hospital, Mumbai, followed by MS Surgery from KEM Hospital (2011–2014). My All-India PG rank was 282, which meant I could choose nearly any branch — even Radiology or Medicine, which were top options at the time.
Yet, I deliberately chose surgery.
Not because it promised easy money or an easy life — but because:
- I enjoyed hands-on work.
- I wanted to do something tangible, not just consult or prescribe.
- I loved the immediacy: you see a hernia, operate, and the problem is solved — no guesswork.
Reality of Surgical Residency
Let’s be honest — surgical residency is not easy.
At KEM Hospital:
- We worked 18–19 hours daily.
- Emergency duties stretched to 36-hour shifts.
- Weekly emergency calls were intense.
- Exposure was excellent but physically demanding.
Today, the residency workload has reduced slightly because many institutes now have more PG seats, distributing the duties better. But surgery still requires:
✅ Long hours
✅ Physical stamina
✅ Mental resilience
Residency is tough — but it’s also extremely rewarding for the right mindset.
Hands-on Exposure: The Truth
Many aspirants worry:
“If I take surgery, will I be operating enough?”
Here’s the real picture:
Emergency Work
- Debridements
- Amputations
- Perforation laparotomies
- Appendectomies
👉 You get plenty of “cutting” here.
Elective Work
- Hernias
- Hydroceles
- Basic open surgeries in early years
- Laparoscopy exposure varies by institute
By the end of your 3 years:
✅ You become a qualified surgeon
❌ Not a fully independent surgeon yet
Monetary Reality
Surgery is NOT a “get-rich-quick” branch.
- Surgeons usually start making good money in their mid-to-late 30s
- Earlier years focus on skill-building more than income
- Hospital charges do NOT directly equal surgeon income
- Surgeon’s share ≈ 20–40% of case billing
But with volume and experience, overall earnings become strong.
Job Satisfaction – The Big Advantage
This is where surgery shines most.
✅ Immediate results
✅ Visible patient recovery
✅ Direct impact of your skills
Operating gives unmatched satisfaction:
You perform the procedure, and the patient feels better the very next day.
That sense of being the “hero of the story” is something medicine can rarely provide at the same intensity.
Who Should Take Surgery?
✅ You should consider Surgery if:
- You enjoy hands-on work
- You want action over theory
- You seek visible results
- You’re ready for delayed gratification
- You can handle pressure and responsibility
❌ Think twice if:
- You dislike emergency duties
- You hate operating rooms
- You want quick lifestyle comfort
- You can’t handle complications or emotionally tough outcomes
Being neutral is okay. Having a dislike is dangerous — avoid the branch if that’s how you feel.
