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Highly Trained Physicians and Surgeons - Differences and Similarities

Do you know highly trained physicians and surgeons are in the list of top paid experts in the US? Since they both get almost same kind of education, most of us think and believe that there isn’t any difference in their professionals. The reality is, it is not so! Let’s figure out the similarities between both. 

 

Similarities between Highly Trained Physicians and Surgeons 

Interestingly, there are some common traits and responsibilities between highly trained physicians and surgeons. 

 

  • Education 

Everyone in the US receives same education to become a doctor. Let it be a surgeon or a highly trained physician. Both have to go through the same education. 

 

  • Clinical Rotations

After completion of education which is in medical school. Both, physicians and surgeons complete clinical rotations. It is so that they can get hands on experience in different types of medicine. These areas are typically called “specialization” and include cardiology, surgery, neurology, etc. Physicians are asked prior getting into residency to choose a particular program to complete rotations. 

 

  • Obtain Medicine License to Practice 

It is not possible to work as a surgeon or physician without a medical certification or license. However, if you are in the US and want to continue practicing there, it is important to know that you have to fulfill certain prerequisites. Every state comes with their own set of rules, regulations, and requirements. 

 

  • Examine Patients

Both, physicians and the surgeons examine patients. To be more exact, they follow procedures like; 

  • Prescribing medicines 
  • Conducting counselling about preventive care, diet, and even hygiene 
  • Taking medical history
  •  Ordering, interpreting, and performing diagnostic examinations and tests 
  • Designing treatment plans 
  • Updating patients’ info and charts 

     

Differences Between Physicians and Surgeons 

What makes physicians and surgeons different? Well, it is based on one chief factor – surgeons can operate. These operations are carried out to make the patient get out of internal or external injuries. For example, removal of tumor and fixing a broken arm. 

Other Dissimilarities 

Other than what we have mentioned above, there are other dissimilarities too. We have mentioned it below for your ease of understanding. 

 

  • Medical Fortes and Expertise

Physicians are given 19 specialties to select the preferred one. These specialties are the main ones and aren’t related to subspecialties. Some of the specialties to select from are dermatology, medical genetics, allergy, internal medicine, emergency medicine. 

Surgeons have to be a general surgeon and then only they can go on with the specialty. There are 13 subspecialties to choose from. Some of the types are pediatric surgeon, thoracic surgeon, neurosurgeon, plastic surgeon, and rectal surgeon. 

 

  • Residency and Rotations 

By now we know that physicians and surgeons undergo same kind of education. After completing 2 years in medical school, in the 3rd and 4th year, they start seeing patients. This phase is called “clinical rotations”. 

Residency starts right after choosing the medical specialty. The duration or length of residency varies from specialty to specialty. Generally, it is observed that the physician takes between 3 and 4 years to complete a residency program. On the other hand, surgeons complete residency between 5 and 8 years