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Competent for surgery?

Hello lovely students/doctors! I have a query that google is unable to answer for me, and I was hoping one of you might know the answer.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I'm off to medical school in September. Assuming that I actually pass and qualify, would my diabetes prevent me from becoming a surgeon/anaesthetist? My control at the moment is ****ing awful, but let's assume for now that in 4 and half year's time it'll be completely spot-on.

I know that there's a select few careers that T1 diabetics can't enter into such as the armed forces or HGV driving, and I would have though that surgery/anaesthetics might also come under similar restrictions, given the circumstances of the job.

I did try googling this but I just got loads of boomph about how pancreas transplants are going mean that I live happily ever after :rolleyes:
(edited 13 years ago)

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Reply 1
Original post by LaRoar
Hello lovely students/doctors! I have a query that google is unable to answer for me, and I was hoping one of you might know the answer.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I'm off to medical school in September. Assuming that I actually pass and qualify, would my diabetes prevent me from becoming a surgeon/anaesthetist? My control at the moment is ****ing awful, but let's assume for now that in 4 and half year's time it'll be completely spot-on.

I know that there's a select few careers that T1 diabetics can't enter into such as the armed forces or HGV driving, and I would have though that surgery/anaesthetics might also come under similar restrictions, given the circumstances of the job.

I did try googling this but I just got loads of boomph about how pancreas transplants are going mean that I live happily ever after :rolleyes:


Nothing off the top of my head makes me think that you won't be able to pursue these if you like. Occupational health will sort you out and counsel you properly if there are any concerns when you start.
(edited 13 years ago)
My housemate is a type 1 diabetic who wants to be an orthopod - he's never mentioned that it would be a problem, and is pretty realistic and sensible about things.

Occupational health are the definitive people do ask, as digitalis says.
Reply 3
Original post by LaRoar
Hello lovely students/doctors! I have a query that google is unable to answer for me, and I was hoping one of you might know the answer.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I'm off to medical school in September. Assuming that I actually pass and qualify, would my diabetes prevent me from becoming a surgeon/anaesthetist? My control at the moment is ****ing awful, but let's assume for now that in 4 and half year's time it'll be completely spot-on.

I know that there's a select few careers that T1 diabetics can't enter into such as the armed forces or HGV driving, and I would have though that surgery/anaesthetics might also come under similar restrictions, given the circumstances of the job.

I did try googling this but I just got loads of boomph about how pancreas transplants are going mean that I live happily ever after :rolleyes:


Turk springs to mind from Scrubs :tongue:. Maybe this means you can? :smile:
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Gowrav
Turk springs to mind from Scrubs :tongue:. Maybe this means you can? :smile:


Turk is type 2 DM.

(and fictional)
Original post by LaRoar
Hello lovely students/doctors! I have a query that google is unable to answer for me, and I was hoping one of you might know the answer.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I'm off to medical school in September. Assuming that I actually pass and qualify, would my diabetes prevent me from becoming a surgeon/anaesthetist? My control at the moment is f*cking awful, but let's assume for now that in 4 and half year's time it'll be completely spot-on.

I know that there's a select few careers that T1 diabetics can't enter into such as the armed forces or HGV driving, and I would have though that surgery/anaesthetics might also come under similar restrictions, given the circumstances of the job.

I did try googling this but I just got loads of boomph about how pancreas transplants are going mean that I live happily ever after :rolleyes:


I assume hypoglycaemic episodes are the biggest worry? I admit, being a surgeon may not be the best career for a diabetic - the varied and long work hours (not to mention lack of lunch hours) can play hell with your insulin regime. That said, I'm not aware of diabetes being an absolute contraindication for surgery.

Of course, why anyone would want to do surgery is beyond me :wink: :tongue:
Reply 6
Original post by Captain Crash
Turk is type 2 DM.

(and fictional)


:facepalm: I think I need to re-watch scrubs :tongue: Sorry, wanted to bring something of relevance from scrubs to a medicine thread :biggrin:
Original post by LaRoar
Hello lovely students/doctors! I have a query that google is unable to answer for me, and I was hoping one of you might know the answer.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I'm off to medical school in September. Assuming that I actually pass and qualify, would my diabetes prevent me from becoming a surgeon/anaesthetist? My control at the moment is f*cking awful, but let's assume for now that in 4 and half year's time it'll be completely spot-on.

I know that there's a select few careers that T1 diabetics can't enter into such as the armed forces or HGV driving, and I would have though that surgery/anaesthetics might also come under similar restrictions, given the circumstances of the job.

I did try googling this but I just got loads of boomph about how pancreas transplants are going mean that I live happily ever after :rolleyes:


i know a few T1 diabetic doctors, one of whom is an orthopod.

Its not a problem unless you get hypos without warning
There are illnesses that would prevent you from doing surgery apart from blood bourne ones. The chances of me even getting near an anaethatised patient are pretty much the same as ants developing giant missiles attacking earth from jupiter whilst disco dancing and armpit playing twinkle twinkle little star!
Im pretty damn sure diabetes wouldnt fall into this category though? Surely you know when your going to have a hypo and can act on it?
Original post by fairy spangles
There are illnesses that would prevent you from doing surgery apart from blood bourne ones. The chances of me even getting near an anaethatised patient are pretty much the same as ants developing giant missiles attacking earth from jupiter whilst disco dancing and armpit playing twinkle twinkle little star!
Im pretty damn sure diabetes wouldnt fall into this category though? Surely you know when your going to have a hypo and can act on it?


Depends if sterile services will autoclave you a Mars bar.
Reply 10
Original post by fairy spangles
Im pretty damn sure diabetes wouldnt fall into this category though? Surely you know when your going to have a hypo and can act on it?


That's probably my main concern really, generally I can feel a hypo coming on but sometimes if I'm really focussed on something else it can sneak up and I'll be there with the whole trembling, feeling faint and being a complete bitch to anyone who dares speak to me without even realising it.

From what you've all said it doesn't sound like there's any sort of blanket ban, which is what I wondering about really, so cheers :smile:

Just out of interest, does anyone know what would happen if the surgeon or anaesthetist had a hypo mid-surgery or something similar?
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by LaRoar

Just out of interest, does anyone know what would happen if the surgeon or anaesthetist had a hypo mid-surgery or something similar?


Nothing good
Reply 12
Original post by Huw Davies
Depends if sterile services will autoclave you a Mars bar.
Would deep fat frying have the same effect?
Sorry if I'm contributing utter **** here, but how is it different to fainting? There's no entry requirement for surgery that says you must have never fainted in theatre and always eat a good breakfast. Or is that they expect fainting medical students to grow out of fainting, whereas you can't grow out of being diabetic?
Reply 14
Original post by Becca-Sarah
Or is that they expect fainting medical students to grow out of fainting, whereas you can't grow out of being diabetic?
They should absolutely man the **** up!
Original post by Renal
They should absolutely man the **** up!


Point taken. *Goes off to man up*
I do think that in reality IDDM will affect a career as a sturgeon. Particularly is it was poorly controlled. Lunch breaks can be erratic and there will come many a time I am sure that you will not be able to effectively control your diabetes due to more pressing immediate concerns.

If it can be assumed that failing to control your diabetes (in surgery) for prolonged periods is more likely to lead to consistent hyperglycaemic states; the long term affect of the diabetes is not going to lead to anything good. Forget for a moment the risk of going hypo because you haven't eaten enough or gone a bit happy go lucky on the insulin and consider a realistic 50-70 hour working week where there will be long period of time where you will not be able to stop and sort your diabetes out. >>> vascular disease, renal failure, neuropathy, retinopathy etc. Sure from an occupational health point of view it will be fine but the long term consequences of failing to control diabetes are severe.

As for a career in anaesthetics, that is achievable without too much concern. The periods where an anaesthetist absolutely cannot leave a patient tends to be quite short with longer periods being much less frequent. You spend much less time involved in sterile procedures as well, so can nip off for a minute in theatre or on the ICU/HDU.

I must also note that I am neither a doctor nor a medical student, so my post is purely speculative.
Reply 17
Original post by davey jones
As for a career in anaesthetics, that is achievable without too much concern. The periods where an anaesthetist absolutely cannot leave a patient tends to be quite short with longer periods being much less frequent. You spend much less time involved in sterile procedures as well, so can nip off for a minute in theatre or on the ICU/HDU.
I think the dangers of me ever being hypoglycaemic are slim indeed. :colondollar:
Reply 18
Original post by davey jones
I do think that in reality IDDM will affect a career as a sturgeon.


I always wanted a career as a sturgeon...All that swimming around :P
The exams are a ****ing nightmare though.

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