Becoming a Surgeon: Skills, Specialties, and Diseases
What does it take to be a surgeon? Success in the operating room requires a high-stakes fusion of scientific mastery, technical precision, and split-second decision-making. This course puts you in the mindset of a surgeon, using real patient cases to teach you how abdominal diseases are diagnosed, evaluated, and treated operatively. You'll tour the operating room, meet specialists across surgical disciplines, practice hands-on skills like knot tying, and build your own anatomic model of the abdomen. If you're considering a future in surgical medicine, this is your chance to see what the profession truly requires.
Program Dates
Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Eligibility
For students ages 18 and up
College Credit Course Fees
$3,995
Enrichment Course Fees
$1,895
What's the Difference Between Our College Credit and Enrichment Courses?
Both enrichment and college credit–bearing options feature engaging online lessons and instructional support. College credit–bearing courses include additional coursework and offer the opportunity to earn academic credit upon successful completion. Some course content overlaps across both options, so students are encouraged to choose the format that best aligns with their academic or professional goals.
College Credit Courses$3,995
Length of Course: Multi-length course options
Instruction & Activities: 128 hours
Grading: Letter grade
On Your Own Schedule: ✔️
Academic Support: ✔️
Final Project: ✔️
College Credit Hours: ✔️
Certificate of Completion: Georgetown Transcript
Enrichment Courses$1,895
Length of Course: 1-, 2-, or 4-weeks
Instruction & Activities: 20-30 hours
Grading: Pass/Fail
On Your Own Schedule: ✔️
Academic Support: ✔️
Final Project: ✔️
College Credit Hours:❌
Certificate of Completion:✔️
Think Like a Surgeon
What It Takes to Become a Surgeon
Study the rigorous education and residency pathways required to enter a surgical career. Identify the members of the operating room team and learn how pre-operative evaluations ensure safety.
Diagnosing and Treating Diverticulitis
Follow a patient case from diverticulitis diagnosis through surgical treatment while exploring abdominal anatomy. Observe specialist collaboration with radiologists and practice your first technical skills in surgical knot-tying.
An Appendicitis Case From ER to Discharge
Track a patient from emergency room triage through a laparoscopic appendectomy. Apply diagnostic skills in imaging and lab work alongside the surgical team while examining administrative needs, including informed consent.
Confronting Gastric Cancer
Evaluate a patient with gastric cancer and see how surgeons, oncologists, and gastroenterologists determine treatment. Learn best practices for delivering serious news to patients with empathy and professionalism.
When the Gallbladder Has to Go
Explore right upper abdomen anatomy through a patient case involving gallstones. Examine the differences between elective and emergency procedures while learning the importance of shared decision-making with patients.
Is a Surgical Career Right for You?
Consider the daily realities of surgery and the social determinants of health shaping patient access. Reflect on whether the skills and mindset introduced throughout this course align with your goals.
What You Gain From This Experience
- Practical insight into how surgeons diagnose, evaluate, and treat common abdominal diseases through real patient case studies.
- Familiarity with the operating room environment, surgical instruments, sterile technique, and the roles of each operating room team member.
- Hands-on experience with foundational surgical skills, including knot tying and anatomic modeling.
- Experience writing patient scenarios and walking through a surgical procedure in a Final Capstone Project.
- A Certificate of Completion from Georgetown University upon successful completion of the course.
What Sets This Program Apart
A Capstone Project With Real-World Relevance
- Complete an anatomic model of the abdomen, write two patient scenarios comparing surgical and non-surgical treatment paths, and record yourself walking through an operative procedure using your model.
- Practice the kind of clinical reasoning, patient evaluation, and procedural thinking that define a career in surgery.
Instructional Guidance And Mentorship
- Receive feedback from course mentors as you evaluate patient cases, develop technical skills, and prepare your Final Capstone Project.
- Build confidence in clinical reasoning and communication through guided review of written and presentation-based work.
Flexible Learning With Clear Expectations
- Engage with online coursework designed to fit alongside your current academic, professional, or personal commitments.
- Complete assignments and the Final Capstone Project on a predictable timeline that supports independent planning.
Apply Now for the Next Available Course
Course Designed by Georgetown University Faculty
Dr. Rebecca Evangelista, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery and General Surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH)
Dr. Evangelista was the Director for Undergraduate Surgical Education for over 10 years and now focuses on educational leadership in the professional development of faculty and residents. She has been a general surgeon at MGUH since January 2006. Dr. Evangelista completed medical school at Upstate Medical University, a general surgery residency at George Washington University Hospital, and a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Virginia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How will you be graded? What are assignments like? How much time do you have to turn around a project? When do you find out if you’re admitted? Find answers to your questions here.
Answers to Your Questions HereScholarships
We offer need-based scholarships for participating students who exhibit high potential and an inability to pay the full tuition.
- If you haven’t applied to the program, apply here. After submitting your application, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” on the confirmation page to request a scholarship.
- If you’ve already applied to the program, sign in to your profile to check your scholarship status. If we don’t have a scholarship request on file, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” to request a scholarship.