Trauma surgeons treat critically ill emergency room patients through surgery and consultation with other specialists. Their goal is patient survival in the immediate future, with more delicate procedures performed later if needed. Trauma surgeons follow patients in the ICU and also practice general surgery. The author wishes to attend the Medical University of South Carolina for medical school and then complete a trauma fellowship at the University of Florida to become a trauma surgeon, potentially specializing in pediatric trauma.

1. Trauma Surgeon
Ali Smith

3. Trauma Surgeon
 Trauma surgeons treat critically ill patients through
surgery. Usually these patients come to the hospital
via the ER.
 Trauma surgeons consult other specialty doctors on
these critically ill patients and how to best treat them
in that moment.
 Trauma surgeons generally work under “crisis
management” situations. This means their only goal is
for the patient to survive the immediate future. More
delicate procedures will be done at a later date.

4.  Trauma surgeons follow through with their patients
that are admitted to the ICU. Trauma surgeons are
critical care surgeons as well. Often their interaction
with the patient is continued through critical care
treatment.
 Trauma surgeons also practice as general surgeons.
They rotate through clinics and treat general surgery
cases in addition to their trauma and critical care
cases.

6. Professional School
 The medical school at the Medical University of South
Carolina is where I would like to get my MD degree.
 Mean GPA of 3.6
 Mean MCAT score of 30
 Tuition for in-state is ~$40,000/year
 86% admitted are from in-state
 After completing my training as a general surgeon at
MUSC, I would like to go to the Trauma Fellowship
program at the University of Florida’s medical school.
This fellowship trains surgeons in critical care as well
as in trauma.

7. Growth
 I am interested more specifically in pediatric trauma
surgery. So, after becoming a trauma surgeon I have
growth potential in the area of pediatric trauma.
 There is room for trauma surgeons to grow as general
surgeons as well as critical care surgeons.
 Trauma surgeons head the surgery department of
their hospital.

8. Salary
 Average salaries for trauma surgeons ranges from
$300,000 to $425,000 a year.
 The ranging hourly wages are from $100 to $150
every hour.

9. Good Candidate
 Surgeons are mostly Investigative, Artistic, and
Realistic.
 Based on my O-Net profiler, I am also Investigative,
Artistic, and Realistic.
 I work well under pressure. Trauma surgeons are
often making critical decisions under large amounts of
pressure.
 I am very detail oriented, so despite having to do
large, disaster controlling surgeries, I will also be able
to pay attention to the details that matter.

10.  I have been in many situations under pressure that
required quick decision making.
 I was keeping an infant that stopped breathing. I did not
panic and I performed CPR on her until the ambulance
arrived.
 When I was coaching my cheerleading team, a girl was
dropped from a stunt (about 13 feet in the air) and hit her
head/neck. She started throwing up and losing
consciousness. I handled the situation in as calmly as
possible and got her the appropriate medical care.
 I was working in the ER at the hospital and a patient
coded. I performed CPR on the patient until they got him
in the lab to place a stint.

11. My ideal career plan/goal:
 Graduate from Clemson in August 2015
 Begin MUSC in August 2016
 Graduate from MUSC in 2020
 Complete internship year and 5 years of general surgeon
training in 2026
 Begin Trauma Fellowship at UF in 2026
 Finish trauma fellowship in 2027
Begin practicing as a Trauma Surgeon in 2027/2028!

12. Resources
 Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. (n.d.). Retrieved
August 30, 2014.
 MUSC College of Medicine Facts and Stats. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 30, 2014.