Best Undergrad Major for NS?

[cj2020]

I want to be able to design drugs and new biotechnology devices while doing neurosurgery? I at least want to be able to comprehend them and have a foundation so I can learn new things based on existing requirements (i.e. biochemistry?) I am in my second year of college and would appreciate any input. I'll obviously be going to medical school right after, so I don't need to major in anatomy... lol

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[lord_jeebus]

Designing drugs? I don't know of any neurosurgeons who do that. Besides the pharmacological expertise that would require, the interventional interests of a neurosurgeon are generally surgical, not medical.

As for devices - some flavor of engineering.

 

[-Goose-]

Neurosciences or BME

 

[Jccripe]

BME hands down.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

I want to be able to design drugs and new biotechnology devices while doing neurosurgery? I at least want to be able to comprehend them and have a foundation so I can learn new things based on existing requirements (i.e. biochemistry?) I am in my second year of college and would appreciate any input. I'll obviously be going to medical school right after, so I don't need to major in anatomy... lol

Drug design: molecular physiology, biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry (organic or catalysis/inorganic, then physical), pharmacology.

Neurosurgery is a surgical specialty. Research will usually focus on diseases you will be dealing with as a neurosurgeon, i.e. tumors or epilepsy rather than dementia and autism. It will be hard to do drug design while being a neurosurgeon, because the two fields are quite far apart. Drug design is not easy and may require extensive training as well. An UG major will do nothing to prepare you for a career in either.

 

[bonran]

Maybe you want to do neurology, then choose an interest ie movement disorders/stroke/neuro-oncology & do an NIH fellowship at the NIH in Baltimore with a couple of (extra) research years. You can then become a scientific advisor in one of the drug company/NIH projects.

Otherwise you need to do a Pharmacy degree with specialization in drug design in Nervous System disorders.

 

[c5212]

Neurosciences or BME

+1

watch out for your GPA in BME though- a notoriously hard major