In regard to Surgeons, the name of Norman Shumway came to mind (9 Feb 1923, 1600, Kalamazoo, Michigan -- chart Rodden-rated AA.) He was one of the preeminent surgeons of the late 20th century, a pioneer whose determination to succeed brought heart-transplant surgery into common practice. Dr.Shumway worked on my own brother 3 weeks before he performed the first "successful" adult-to-adult heart transplant in the U.S. My brother is still aive and kicking; it was his third open-heart operation and the one that finally "worked" and changed his life.

Dr. Shumway has Mars, powerful in his own sign of Aries, and the elevated planet in the chart, in the Ninth House (Shumway spent his whole career as a professor at Stanford University -- the 9th House is the house of universities) with Aries as the sign on the MC of career. With Mars in Aries ruling the MC, and not far from it, "Pioneering" is part of the career. Strong determination, courage, being first or ahead of his time, cutting (surgery), and other Martial traits will "stand above all else" (the elevated position) in his life. As a young university student he began studying engineering (a Martial occupation), but when drafted into the wartime Army in 1943, began studying medicine. His early career, especially during his years as a "student", were in the military. We notice the continual influence of Mars in this life -- see how the planet shows up in different guises? (I am oversimplifying, but holding to sound astrology: to really understand Dr. Shumway we must see the chart as a whole with all its complex interrelationships).

The transits of the planets on 6 January 1968, the day of his first human heart transplant is very interesting. There are 4 things that just seem to jump out of the chart. First, Mars is within degree of the natal cusp of the 8th House: the 8th is the house of surgery. I think most experienced astrologers will agree with me that the transits of planets over the cusps of houses are often significant of events of the nature of the house; this fact provides a good way to test the house system an astrologer is using. Second, transiting Mars is closely square transiting Neptune (2 degrees) and Neptune rules "prothesis", or "substitute parts, surrogates." Third, the transiting North Node is closely conjunct his MC, point of career, fame and honor. And 4th, transiting Pluto (radical or extreme procedures) exactly conjoins the natal North Node. Transits should not be read without reference to directions, which I am doing here, but these transits are significant in terms of the happenings on that day as they pertained to Shumway's life. (P.S.: I have a hunch Shumway was born 4 to 10 minutes earlier than the stated time of birth; that would bring angles and cusps into line with these transits. I have not rectified the chart, in fact only just now cast it out of interest in the topic of "Mars and Surgeons".)

Anyway, we see that "Mars is prominent in the charts of surgeons" is confirmed in the case of this pioneering surgeon.