Well its important to be organized. Simple things like is your excel sheet set up so that you are able to fill in the tabs sequentially without having to click back and forth repetitively through the same part of the chart or excel sheet. Then it becomes about multi-tasking. If you are able to do parts of the chart review while listening to a tv show, etc, you can prolong your tolerance. I remember my first summer as a student I listened to the entire Stragate SG-1 series while doing an AVM chart review.
They're a lot of drilling
I love them!
You should do ENT then
Arguably the coolest surgery I have ever seen, complex ear stuff is super interesting
I think the ENT portion of that case is more engaging than the neurosurgery part. They're satisfying for select patients but most neurosurgeons prefer a RMC approach. More for us to do and also typically bigger tumors
I don't have a lot of interest in boats/cars/watches. I'll be buying myself a few Saville Row suits someday though.
do you have any opinions on what order rotations should be done? Im currently trying to rank my preferences and know I don't want to do surgery first. Is there a disadvantage to doing it last in terms of applying for neurosurgery sub-I's? We only get 4 schedules to choose from and 2 of those have surgery in the middle (with medicine being before it in both schedules) and the other 2 schedules have surgery either first or last so im not sure which of those is worse if that makes sense
Your surgery rotation timing doesn't typically have a major role in sub-i's that I am familiar with. I would recommend doing medicine first and surgery in the middle. Medicine first gets it out of the way while you are fresh and tends to touch upon things that will be useful for other rotations. Surgery in the middle means you'll have gotten the hang of rotations but will not be burnt out.
Why Pediatrics?
congrats man that's awesome!
what was the process like for negotiating for a job at the same place you did residency? was it awkward negotiating for salary, support, types of cases youlll be doing etc?
By home institution, did you mean where you did residency or med school?
I like being a generalist whole still being in academic subspecialty and I like working with kids.
Totally not awkward. It's kind of a two tier negotiation. Basically, I told my chairman what equipment I wanted as well as certain academic and equipment concessions and he went and negotiated on my behalf and brought back an offer. I got everything I asked for and an appropriate salaey so I'm happy but perhaps I didn't ask for enough? Not worth thinking about.
Residency
I'm engaged. In terms of dating it was fairly constricted in early residency, once a week. senior residency twice a week. Now as a chief resident I live with my fiance and spend at least one weekend day and one weekday night with her on average.
Geez, even for a resident that's almost nothing, but as Neurosurg resident it must feel normal.
interesting. this may be a stupid question but what do you mean by equipment negotiations? like specific microscopes and stuff? I always thought those things were just provided by wherever you work
You have time for what you choose to have time for. I certainly could have made more time but the reality is I have been publishing and otherwise strengthening my career.
No you have to make sure they have what you want specifically. In terms of hardware I wanted a exoscope as well as a specific type of operative bed and a number of specific instruments to ensure that I can perform the surgeries that I am being hired to perform. Basically when you graduate you steal all of your attendings equipment cards for their given surgeries and mix and match to your satisfaction. The bottom line is the hospital doesn't have to buy you anything that they have not contractually agreed to buy for you.
oh ok gotcha I had no idea of that aspect of the negotiation. thanks!
What do you mean by "equipment"? Congrats on your new job as well!
Specific surgical instruments in addition to things like image guidance systems and add-ons. Every scope blade and Kerrison that you want should be specifically identified so you can see if they have it or will buy it for you.
How prepared do you feel to operate independently?
Yes, I would.
Very prepared. The point of training is not to expose you to every possible surgery, but to give you the general skill set to adapt and apply to most situations. There are certainly things still left to learn, but I feel comfortable that I've reached a point where I can either learn them rapidly in the OR or get what I need from either a reasonably brief proctoring or cadaver session.
I respect a number of them. We have joint conferences for various topics and I have a select few that I would call upon as needed for specific complicated reads but for the most part I go with whoever is on the call. other than no longer doing it in person, nothing has specifically changed.
Congrats on the new job (and from the sound of it, baby) man! Hope to join you there in a few years... I partially have your advice in this thread to thank for matching in neurosurgery.
Thank you! My pleasure to help.
Thank you
