Neonatal Surgeon
A neonatal surgeon performs operations on newborn babies. Such surgeries require the level of knowledge and skill a doctor acquires through years of extra training. These doctors work to correct serious medical conditions and disorders that affect newborns. A neonatal specialist often performs surgical operations on infants who have birth defects that affect the chest and abdominal region. This type of doctor may work to repair defects of the urogenital tract as well.
Overview
When a doctor specializes in neonatal surgery, he is a type of pediatric surgeon. This means he specializes in treating children. A neonatal surgeon, however, has received advanced training beyond that required to become a pediatric surgeon. This advanced training has prepared him to provide care for infants, for whom surgery is often very risky. Once trained, a neonatal surgeon works with a team of health care professionals that is skilled in providing the best possible care to these vulnerable, young patients.
Responsibilities
Besides the actual surgery a neonatal surgeon performs, he is typically involved in other aspects of a patient’s care. He usually evaluates and diagnoses newborn patients and then determines the treatment required. In some cases, he may provide an evaluation of a baby before he is even born, using an ultrasound machine to look for physical abnormalities in the developing baby. He may discuss any abnormalities with the unborn baby’s parents and prepare them for the child's medical needs after birth. A neonatal surgeon is responsible for overseeing the patient's preparation for surgery and for overseeing the patient’s care during the critical post-surgical period.
Qualifications
In order to become a neonatal surgeon, a person typically completes college and spends four years in medical school. He is then required to pass a licensing exam to gain the right to practice medicine in his jurisdiction. An aspiring neonatal specialist usually goes on to complete on-the-job training in general surgery (residency), followed by specialized training in pediatric surgery with neonatal surgery as his focus. The residency often takes five to eight years to complete, and the specialty surgical training may last for an additional two years.
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