Kaitlyn Crow

Mr. Ratliff
ISM-1
10 October 2019
Trauma Surgery
Research Assessment #6- Second Interview

My second interview took place with a general trauma surgeon at Parkland Hospital in
Dallas. She was not available to meet, so I sent her a list of interview questions and her answers
were very in depth. I learned a wide variety of information from her answers regarding the type
of work she does and her lifestyle.
Based on her answers, I determined that trauma surgery is really a small part of the job of
a general trauma surgeon, with most of their time being spent in the SICU and doing emergency
general surgery. This consists of appendicitis, hernias, bowel obstructions, etc. In major trauma
cases, she mainly focuses on protective the gastrointestinal organs in order to maintain their
function and prevent sepsis. Specialized surgeons are called in for organs like the heart, lungs,
spine, etc. This information was new to me, since I had previously been under the impression
that a general trauma surgeon would operate on all organs except for the bones, which would be
left to the orthopedic trauma surgeons.
I was surprised to learn that the specialities she collaborates most with as a general
trauma surgeon are OB/GYN, vascular, and oncology. I had never considered that trauma
surgeons would often help with complex births, especially C-sections. During my time in the
hospital I saw three births and absolutely loved them, so potentially getting to help with births
appeals to me.
My main concern with going into trauma surgery as an adult is the worry that the lifestyle
will be too intense and I will not have any time for a life of my own. She described her lifestyle
and was very up front about the fact that it can be difficult to make time for yourself when
working long shifts constantly. However, there is more freedom in choosing what shifts to work,
many of which are 24 hour. Her descriptions of her schedule seem very similar to what I have
researched and I can not hide from the fact that trauma surgery is intense. In my current life I
enjoy being constantly challenged and worked, but as an adult I might seek out a schedule with
less stress. This is a decision I will make during medical school when I will do my clinical
rotations and gain insight into what medical lifestyle I enjoy most.
The surgeon gave me her advice regarding the field and said that I should not consider
entering it unless I had “grit,” “tenacity,” and the ability to deal with the “emotionally taxing
parts of the job.” From my limited experiences in hospitals and in life, I believe I have these
qualities, and I am sure they will further develop as I mature. However, as a trauma surgeon I
would have to learn not to be weighed down by self-doubt, which she mentioned was the most
difficult part of the job when things go wrong. This applies to every medical specialty, and it is
simply something that gets better with experience.
This interview was very helpful due to the insight it gifted me into the lifestyle of a
trauma surgeon and the comparisons I have made with my other interview.