Education

• The basic steps to becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon include premedical and medical training. Undergraduate premedical students can enroll in any major as long as they take their prerequisite courses in medicine, such as general biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and calculus. Undergraduate students must take at least one year's worth of premedical courses. During their junior or senior year of undergraduate studies, students are advised to prepare for the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT; the exam requires six to seven months of advance preparation. Medical school is comprised of two years of coursework in basic sciences, an introductory course in clinical medicine and one year of training in all of the major clinical disciplines.
  
  

Residency

• During their final year of medical school, students apply for their residency training in general surgery. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or ACGME, accredits all surgical residency programs. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons recommends that students consult with surgery faculty advisers throughout the course of their application process for residency. General residency training for surgery runs for approximately five years and includes clinical rotations in various surgical disciplines. During their fifth year, residents apply for their clinical specialization training in cardiothoracic surgery. Specialized training in cardiothoracic surgery runs between two to three years, depending on the program.
  
  

Credentialing

• Cardiothoracic residents who complete their training are eligible to take their qualifying exams through the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. The board certifies eligible candidates who satisfy several criteria, including a demonstration of their clinical competency and residency training; residents with subspecialties in congenital cardiac surgery must satisfy additional requirements. The certification exam includes written and oral examinations. Certified cardiothoracic surgeons are required to maintain their credentials by taking continuing-education training and certification exams.
  
  

Alternate Pathways

• The American Board of Thoracic Surgery recommends alternate pathways for obtaining cardiothoracic surgical training. Qualified candidates can specialize in vascular surgery, followed by two to three years of training in cardiothoracic surgery. Students already enrolled in a three- to four-year general surgery residency program are eligible to receive cardiothoracic surgical training during a portion of their general residency. Residents who successfully complete their alternate training are eligible to become certified through both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Medical schools may also offer a six-year clinical program that's designed to match students with their area of specialization.