The dilemma faced by a budding cardiothoracic surgeon in India—a first hand account

Cardiothoracic surgery is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous and exciting surgical fields on earth. The field requires passionate and hardworking youngsters who are always willing to learn. Bright young surgeons should know what is going to be on their platter once they have decided to take the plunge into cardiac surgery. This article is a fruit of my 3 years of residency experience and my ongoing stint as an assistant professor. In this article, I have tried to make young surgeons aware of what they will face during their residency tenure and also to attend to some of their worries prior to selecting cardiac surgery as a career option.