Barber-surgeon

A barber-surgeon is like the hands of a craftsman. While we learn about the knowledge of others, we are the ones in the field caring for the patients, while those who may call themselves physicians are the ones behind books trying to formulate our field experiences.

— Yehan Lesosmol

A barber-surgeon is a profession involving both cutting hair, shaving, and doing medical treatments as surgeons. They are a vital part of any nations in Western Agia, and every major city and town in Agia is required to have one. The barber-surgeons are also vital in any wars to treat wounds.

Career

Qualifications

There are two ways to become a barber-surgeon. One is to take the exam and get the certificate, the other is a practical education, often by becoming an apprentice to another barber-surgeon.

Practical educated barber-surgeons

All barber-surgeons used to be practical trained until the 8th century, where several countries thought there should be more regulations happening with the barber-surgeons. There had been an increase of trained barber-surgeons, and some were even quack because of the lacking control, causing more harm than good, especially on the battlefield.

Today, it is still possible to get the practical education. However, the barber-surgeon guilds state that no practical educated barber-surgeons may take in apprentices, nor could he call himself certified, until he takes the certification exam and passes.

The practical education starts when a boy is taken in as an apprentice. After being trained and becoming a barber-surgeon himself, he can get his own practice to perform surgery, selling medicine, and cutting hair. Normally, these educated people have a harder time being accepted by other than the common people and not by their guild and important people.

Certified barber-surgeons

There are a few educated physicians who choose to take the certification exam for barber-surgeon as well. It is only masters of the barber-surgeon guild that may teach the craftmanship of a barber-surgeon at the guild’s practice. A practical educated barber-surgeon is also allowed to take the exam. It is often cheaper to only pay for the exam and otherwise have the practical education than pay for both the exam and guild’s education.

Recently, there have been some discussion that all barber-surgeons must take the exam to qualify as barber-surgeons. Not all are happy with this decision, since the exam can be quite expensive for some. It is especially the doubt of whether one’s master should pay for the exam or the apprentice should. The apprentice might get a hard time to save up money for the exam.

Other Benefits

A certified barber-surgeon can avoid serving in the military service if he works in a district with no other barber-surgeons to take his place. It is vital to have at least one barber-surgeon per district. But some choose to actually treating soldiers on the battlefield. They call this their call and sense of duty to take on even the most horrifying experiences to help those who need treatment.

Those who serve in the army as barber-surgeons often get recognitions for their hard work, and get a discount on their funeral pyre in the undertaker guild.

Perception

Purpose

Most barber-surgeons choose to focus on soldiers both in time of war and in peace, treating wounds and performing small and major surgeries.

But some are needed to cure diseases and keep the populace healthy as well. Often they would treat with bloodletting, extracting teeth, performing enemas, treat wounds and fractures, and to cut hair. Some also make patches and ointments, and selling medicine. But this has often caused a conflict with the educated physicians, since it is forbidden for the barber-surgeons to occupy themselves with medical illnesses.

Social Status

Despite their importance to society, the barber-surgeons are still perceived as dirty. People often envision them as being covered in blood and other nasty things, but whenever they have a health or hair problem, they turn to the barber-surgeon for help.

The guild has tried to minimise the social perception of the barber-surgeons, and this has helped after the certification exam has been increasingly demanded. The people associate the certificate with authority, making it easier to kill the perception of barber-surgeons are dirty - at least all the times.

Operations

Workplace

The workplace of a barber-surgeon varies. Some have small practices where they can mix the ingredients needed to cure, or treat a wound or a disease. Both a stretcher, a little bed and a chair are inside a barber-surgeon’s practice.

The guild has a large area that looks like a practice, but it has more chairs for students to be taught in the craftmanship.

The barber-surgeon can also work at hospitals, in the field, and even in the dining room at a noble, should it ever be required.

A barber-surgeon’s workplace is where the barber-surgeon is. Anything can be in our workspace, should we require it.

— Yehan Lesosmol

Type

Healthcare

Famous in the Field

• Yehan Lesosmol

Other Associated professions

• Phycisian

Ranks & Titles

• Phycisian

Some of the tools used

• Scissor

• Razor

• Soap

• Cups

• Barber cymbal

• Fleam

• Thumb lancet

• Leeches

• Ampula

• Bone saw

• Pliers

• Sewing kit