The specialized branch of surgery known as vascular surgery is an important, and financially rewarding, part of the medical field. It involves a great deal of education in a highly competitive setting, but most consider the salary to outweigh the years of schooling. Vascular surgeons work as part of a team of surgeons to repair damage most often caused by severe trauma.
Function
Vascular surgeons are a specialized branch of surgery. Vascular surgeons repair damage down to blood vessels. Blood vessels are often injured in motor vehicle accidents, gun shot wounds, and other types of trauma. Because of this, vascular surgeons usually work as part of a team of surgeons.
Benefits
The most common benefit cited as reasons to become a vascular surgeon is the salary. It is not uncommon for vascular surgeons to make at least $300,000 annually. Those in private practice will make significantly more than those working for a hospital, though that salary increase may be offset by the cost of insurance.
There is also a great deal of prestige and personal satisfaction connected with being a vascular surgeon. Vascular surgeons can and do save several lives, oftentimes on a daily basis.
Considerations
Becoming a vascular surgeon requires a great deal of time, effort, and money. It usually takes about seven years of training after graduating from medical school to become a licensed vascular surgeon. Both medical school and vascular surgeon training courses are highly competitive to get into. These programs are usually found in more prestigious, and therefore more expensive, universities.
Vascular surgeons work long hours and often have little warning before they are called in for surgery. Because most vascular surgeons work in hospitals or emergency care settings, there is little flexibility in hours.
Vascular surgeons working in a private practice will need a great deal of malpractice insurance, which can be very cost-prohibitive.
Time Frame
It takes about seven years to become a trained and certified vascular surgeon. This is on top of the seven or eight years it takes to become a general surgeon. There is a strong movement to streamline the process and allow people to study general surgery at the same time they begin their specialization in vascular surgery.
Geography
The benefits of becoming a vascular surgeon can vary depending on where you live. Vascular surgeons in major metropolitan areas can expect to be paid more for their work. In areas with a lot of specialized medical care vascular surgeons may have more flexibility in the hours they work.
Misconceptions
It is a common misconception that vascular surgeons treat patients who are victims of heart attacks. Usually, these patients are treated by cardiovascular surgeons, although the cardiovascular surgeon may be assisted by a vascular surgeon if there is other damage to the blood vessels surrounding the heart.
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