best major for potential neurosurgeon

[Elpenor]

major in aerospace engineering so you can be a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon

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[2050vlsb]

I lol'ed at the title of this post ... not at all saying that OP's not going to be a brilliant Derek Shepherd-esque neurosurgeon, .. but there's a reason that two years of medical school is clinical rotations .. and you're kind of doing yourself a disservice by going in with such a specific mindset ..

 

[fahimaz7]

This is a fantastic thread. I bet this guy never becomes a neurosurgeon. If you think the super eager MS1 is bad, imagine this guy sitting in his general chemistry lab...

You can be a neurosurgeon with a degree in fine art. You will be required to take neuroanatomy every single year of your residency, so what makes you think that you will really learn all that much in college? A guy in my class has a BS in Neuroscience from John Hopkins. Is he a neurosurgeon? Hell no.. Did he struggle during the head and neck module as a MS1? Sure did!

Relax and do whatever you want in undergrad. Go to the best school that you can, and try to be in the top 10% of your class. If you manage to do all of that (and most don't), then you might have a chance at matching into that residency.

 

[CatholicThinker]

Something like a major in psychology and minor in philosophy might be a good option. However, what you study as an undergraduate, make sure it is something that you like, not what is most relevant to medical school or a potential residency.

 

[CatholicThinker]

major in aerospace engineering so you can be a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon

Hahah!

 

[Buddhasmash]

This is a fantastic thread. I bet this guy never becomes a neurosurgeon. If you think the super eager MS1 is bad, imagine this guy sitting in his general chemistry lab...

Yeeeesssss. Feed the hate that fuels me.

 

[Geekchick921]

major in aerospace engineering so you can be a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon

Brilliant!

 

[MilkmanAl]

major in aerospace engineering so you can be a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon

That is definitely the main force behind my desire to do neurosurgery.

 

[emsdan]

The message I'm taking away from this thread is, more than anything else: "Don't specialize in neurosurgery. You'll kill yourself before you see 50."

Is it really this severe? The way you guys, and the people over in the neurosurgery forum, characterize it, a neurosurgeon's life is just an abject pit of misery and despair.

The message isn't don't specialize in neurosurg. The message is don't bother with that train of thought now. You have a LONG LONG way to go before that should be a concern for you. Have fun in college and major in what you like. Major in something that you could see doing if you decided you didn't want to be a doctor/didn't get accepted.

This is the same situation as where incoming med students ask what books they should read over the summer to prepare them for anatomy - its useless and time consuming. You will get everything in due time, so just live it up for now.

 

[Ursa]

Make sure that when you write your PS and other essays you include how much you want to specialize in neurosurgery. Med schools are looking to produce way more neurosurgeons. Plus, you might even open up an offer of acceptance to someone who wants to do primary care and majored in biology while you're at it.

 

[Buzz Me]

It doesn't matter what you major in as long as (1) you do well academically and (2) you fulfill your med school pre-reqs.

 

[Depakote]

major in aerospace engineering so you can be a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon

[YOUTUBE]THNPmhBl-8I[/YOUTUBE]

 

[eablackwell]

That Mitchell & Webb Look is priceless

 

[Buddhasmash]

I first created this thread about a month and a half ago. I had only been seriously considering medicine for a week at that point, but had nurtured a deep interest in the human brain and nervous system since junior high school (24 years old now). I have a rather beloved uncle who experienced a devastating spinal injury when I was a child, and who's condition was made infinitely worse by his neurosurgeon. I'm not pursuing this path out of a desire for prestige, money, or intellectual vanity, as some of your jokes seem to be implying. I have a driving desire to understand the plight of a loved one, and I hope that in the future I can help others in similar circumstances.

When I originally created the thread I had an admittedly limited understanding of the structure of medical school curriculum and no knowledge of the process of matching into residencies. I've since done a ton of research on the topics, and understand how competitive this field is. I have backup preferences (neurology and psychiatry), and I'm not pinning all my hopes on matching into this one field. In that sense, your ribbing and joking at my expense did compel me to develop a more complete understanding of the difficulties involved in achieving my little dream.

All that being said, that same ribbing and joking speaks volumes about your individual characters. It's not just this thread. I've been lurking and posting in various threads over the course of the past few months, and I've noticed one consistent trend in the SDN community: any time a young and/or inexperienced individual expresses audacious ambition, be it in the pre-med or high school forums, other pre-meds and medical students dive on that person like a pack of rabid hyenas. Notice that it's never the residents or attendings making these snide comments. They're secure in their careers, content to offer encouragement, advice, and sometimes constructive criticism. Those of you who have yet to cement yourselves as part of the medical community express your own frustrations and insecurities in the form of scathing mockery against those you perceive as potential competitors in the medical admissions rat race.

True, I may not ever be a neurosurgeon. I will, however, be a physician, despite your criticisms. I'll keep a record of the posts in this thread, and when I get burnt out or dispirited, I'll re-read your mockeries of me. My desire to deliver a massive "f*** you" to those who discouraged me will provide just that much more motivation. So go ahead. Keep flaming.

EDIT: And to those of you who did offer constructive, useful advice in a non-vitriolic manner, many thanks. :-D

 

[MisterVeil]

True, I may not ever be a neurosurgeon. I will, however, be a physician, despite your criticisms. I'll keep a record of the posts in this thread, and when I get burnt out or dispirited, I'll re-read your mockeries of me. My desire to deliver a massive "f*** you" to those who discouraged me will provide just that much more motivation. So go ahead. Keep flaming.

Yeah, because spiting a bunch of faceless names on an internet forum is a great reason to choose a difficult, demanding career.

 

[Slowpoke]

you are being that guy.

 

[Playa]

I first created this thread about a month and a half ago. I had only been seriously considering medicine for a week at that point, but had nurtured a deep interest in the human brain and nervous system since junior high school (24 years old now). I have a rather beloved uncle who experienced a devastating spinal injury when I was a child, and who's condition was made infinitely worse by his neurosurgeon. I'm not pursuing this path out of a desire for prestige, money, or intellectual vanity, as some of your jokes seem to be implying. I have a driving desire to understand the plight of a loved one, and I hope that in the future I can help others in similar circumstances.

When I originally created the thread I had an admittedly limited understanding of the structure of medical school curriculum and no knowledge of the process of matching into residencies. I've since done a ton of research on the topics, and understand how competitive this field is. I have backup preferences (neurology and psychiatry), and I'm not pinning all my hopes on matching into this one field. In that sense, your ribbing and joking at my expense did compel me to develop a more complete understanding of the difficulties involved in achieving my little dream.

All that being said, that same ribbing and joking speaks volumes about your individual characters. It's not just this thread. I've been lurking and posting in various threads over the course of the past few months, and I've noticed one consistent trend in the SDN community: any time a young and/or inexperienced individual expresses audacious ambition, be it in the pre-med or high school forums, other pre-meds and medical students dive on that person like a pack of rabid hyenas. Notice that it's never the residents or attendings making these snide comments. They're secure in their careers, content to offer encouragement, advice, and sometimes constructive criticism. Those of you who have yet to cement yourselves as part of the medical community express your own frustrations and insecurities in the form of scathing mockery against those you perceive as potential competitors in the medical admissions rat race.

True, I may not ever be a neurosurgeon. I will, however, be a physician, despite your criticisms. I'll keep a record of the posts in this thread, and when I get burnt out or dispirited, I'll re-read your mockeries of me. My desire to deliver a massive "f*** you" to those who discouraged me will provide just that much more motivation. So go ahead. Keep flaming.

EDIT: And to those of you who did offer constructive, useful advice in a non-vitriolic manner, many thanks. :-D

Yea, most of these people on here don't have actual friends, or an actual life. This is their way of making friends and making themselves feel good.

True, but do you really care what anonymous internet posters think/say about you? Your never going to meet any of these people in your life, so why give a f***? Let them be insecure, you just do your thing. I also make those snide comments, but just because its fun to watch these losers get all riled up about it.

Don't take anything anyone says here to heart. Like I said, they don't know you, and they never will. You determine what you want to be, don't listen to anyone on here, and just take the advice that you get from people who actually know what they are talking about. If you want to be a neurosurgeon then go for it, don't listen to anyone on here, talk to people in your actual life about it.

And go have some fun while your at it. Party, get laid, do everything a normal college kid would do while also doing well in school. You don't want to become these people.

 

[MisterVeil]

You could also become this guy.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=12212

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

wow you guys are flaming this dude hard, nsurg is an awesome field that I'm interested in as well....I say if you really want to do it start shadowing a neurosurgeon and see if thats what you want to do. if it is pursue it (like I am) it's pretty exciting stuff...a real small close knit field with incredibly intelligent people.

as far majors there isn't any specific major, do something that is interesting to you and won't drive you insane....though neuroscience/physics/engineering seem to be popular ugrad majors among neurosurgeons....good luck

 

[Dr Tickles]

Major in whatever field of science you most interesting, and focus on getting into med school. If you're too focused on what residency program you're doing you'll lose focus on getting into med school...

 

[bamtuba]

My desire to deliver a massive "f*** you" to those who discouraged me will provide just that much more motivation. So go ahead. Keep flaming.

EDIT: And to those of you who did offer constructive, useful advice in a non-vitriolic manner, many thanks. :-D

There are a lot of people on SDN who genuinely need a reality check, and others like yourself who might not. You can't tell the difference at times, so I would go easy on the "f*** you'ing" and just go with the flow a little more.

For the most part people have given you some solid advice.

To summarize what others have said:

-Major in what you find interesting; it will make you a more interesting candidate, which will help you to do whatever you want (some of the most brilliant and academically successful people at my medical school were NOT science majors in undergrad).

-Keep an open mind

-Don't be afraid to follow your dreams, but test the waters along the way

Just pay the good advice you get along the way forward when you finally get to where you want to be.

 

[Geekchick921]

you are being that guy.

Yuppers.

 

[Jin44]

I know that, for the purposes of med school acceptance, it doesn't matter what I major in. I know that humanities and fine arts majors actually have an edge. What I'm concerned with, though, is which undergrad major will best prepare me, intellectually, for the coursework a neurosurgeon resident will have to endure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Why not just take whatever major your interested in and shadow a neurosurgical resident? That way you'll also find out if you actually want neurosurgery as a career.

 

[Geekchick921]

And really, I would BARELY call this thread flaming. He got a lot of sarcastic responses, but this thread isn't even smoldering let alone on fire. Sheesh.

Sometimes I wonder how people that can't take a little ribbing on an internet message board are going to handle getting shredded by attendings and such during clerkships and residency.