What is the appeal of a surgeon?

[Plasticfoot]

My friend has a senior admin post in a hospital.

Whenever i need cheerig up, or if she wants to persuade me to do something she'll say, "I'll introduce you to a surgeon".

Now, I'm not sure that I actually know any, but nothing she tells me about them makes them appealing. She gets very frustrated by their rudeness, obstructiveness and general arsiness at work, they all seem to have a god complex, and she's wasted the last 10 years over one who's never going to leave his wife.

I'm sure some of the difficult personality traits are required to be able to do the job, but that doesn't make them good partners.

Obviously I understand about the salary, but why are they seen as such a catch?

I know I've made loads of generalisations and I'm sure there are some who are different, but she's talking about surgeons generally.

I’ve worked as a theatre nurse. Some surgeons are absolute horrors, others are really nice. Most are ok. I would definitely go for an anaesthetist, if pushed to choose. I once went out with a community paediatrician, he was gorgeous but dumped me.

"I know I've made loads of generalisations..."

Nothing wrong with generalisations, I remember the days when we had bus conductors and conductresses and they were ALL philosophers and experts on world affairs.

I suspect those individuals are now recruited as surgeons with the advent of the 'one-man bus'.

My ex is a surgeon. I fully believe this!

Same with CEOs, probably comes with the "power"

The social status and income is a big plus. However DH works in finance and earns similar, without needing to spend 7 years undergoing training!

They save lives. Jesus, what a horrible thread. Met my daughter's surgeon this week, lovely person, total confidence in him. Hopefully he knows he is not a commodity to be consumed for his 'worth'.

Really nasty isn't it, so far they've been called out as psychopaths, sociopaths, low earners who waste their time studying, people who all cheat on their wife's, rude, less able to do their jobs than women. I've probably missed some expert opinions from this thread.

Who knew mumsnet had so many experts on the 60k surgeons in the Uk.

Another ridiculous and nasty thread.

Seen many similar threads on mn over the years. More fool your silly friend. I've met lots of surgeons, many fine, some frightening, same as any other job position of power and wealth.

"Nasty" - the ultimate Mumsnet put down 😄

They only earn £93,000K plus once they are Consultant Surgeons, which takes so long, usually late thirties and over! Before then, surgeons are generally poorly paid, permanently knackered and stressed by exams and rotas.
Your friend doesn't sound like she has the best values around relationships and probably isn't worth listening too OP given her dating history!

Being a sociopath doesn't mean you are a bad person. I thought this was supposed to be a strength in a surgeon - they don't get caught up with the emotion of what they are doing allowing them to perform better in high -risk situations.

OP, you have clearly never met any surgeons! They are just people, and therefore all different.
This idea that they have a "God complex" and difficult personalities is just lazy stereotyping.
I know plenty of surgeons and, on the whole, they're lovely. They are well-educated, interesting AND interested, intelligent..... what's not to like?
Some of them earn moderately well, if that matters to you!