The first higher education requirement for a career as a surgeon is a four-year college degree in an area that includes study in the sciences and math. Many colleges offer premedical bachelor's degree programs that focus on preparation for medical school but students who eventually enroll in medical school come from many different undergraduate degree programs. Some students earn a master's degree before entering medical school, but it is not required.
The most common medical school degree is the Doctor of Medicine degree, or a degree in allopathic medicine. Before training to become a surgeon, a doctor must complete a medical school program that prepares him to enter a surgical residency program. The M.D programs are the same for all areas of medicine, but prospective surgeons are most likely to choose an M.D. program for medical school. Students who earn the M.D. with the intent of becoming surgeons will often pursue careers in specialized surgical areas, like orthopedics or brain surgery.
The curriculum at medical schools that offer a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree is not much different than that taught at schools that train M.D.s. The primary difference with the D.O. programs is their focus on the musculoskeletal system and holistic medicine. Students who graduate are often less inclined toward medical research and science and more inclined to the personal aspects of treating patients. Osteopathic medicine is less inclined toward specialization, so students who earn this degree and are looking to become surgeons would be more likely to pursue surgical careers in general surgery.
While not formalized degree programs, internships and residency are the most advanced stage of graduate medical training. Once a doctor has earned a medical degree (either M.D. or D.O.), they spend from three to eight years in internship and residency programs, with the length of time depending on the area of specialty. Surgeons will specialize in their chosen field as they enter a surgical residency program at this stage in the process and will spend between six and eight years in that program in order to complete their surgical education. Once that process is complete, board certification is required to signify a doctor as qualified as a surgeon in a particular area of focus.