Neurosurgery vs. Geriatrics

[Pkboi24]

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I'm trying to decide between doing a rotation in Neurosurgery or Geriatrics. I'm about 70-80% sure that I'm going to be doing internal medicine and feel that Geriatrics might help me prepare for my sub-I. However, I have ever seen a neurosurgery case and probably never will again outside of medical school. What would you do if you were me?

 

[agranulocytosis]

Neurosurgery. You said it yourself, you'll never see a case again, you might as well scrub in on a few and witness something very few will ever begin to imagine.​

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Neurosurgery. You said it yourself, you'll never see a case again, you might as well scrub in on a few and witness something very few will ever begin to imagine.​

Scrub in? Really? Most students who rotate thru neurosurgery don't scrub in, they just watch.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Scrub in? Really? Most students who rotate thru neurosurgery don't scrub in, they just watch.

That's not true

 

[ucsfstudents]

If you're going into internal medicine, I would recommend doing a geriatrics rotation (usually a great learning experience).

I would ask to drop in on a few neurosurgery cases so that you get to see a few before graduation.

 

[MossPoh]

Scrub in? Really? Most students who rotate thru neurosurgery don't scrub in, they just watch.

Depends on the culture of the school and the hospital they are at.

 

[treva]

I'm trying to decide between doing a rotation in Neurosurgery or Geriatrics. I'm about 70-80% sure that I'm going to be doing internal medicine and feel that Geriatrics might help me prepare for my sub-I. However, I have ever seen a neurosurgery case and probably never will again outside of medical school. What would you do if you were me?

I'd do neurosurg. Geriatrics is basically a combo of Neuro + rehab, so at the very least at least with neurosurg you'd get some neuro exposure. Besides, you'll have the rest of your life to do medicine, but like you say this may be the last time to see any neurosurg.

 

[Jamers]

I'm trying to decide between doing a rotation in Neurosurgery or Geriatrics. I'm about 70-80% sure that I'm going to be doing internal medicine and feel that Geriatrics might help me prepare for my sub-I. However, I have ever seen a neurosurgery case and probably never will again outside of medical school. What would you do if you were me?

Geriatrics will be the biggest help for you especially if you want to do something like general IM or hospitalist. There is nothing like managing a 99 year old individual with CHF, diabetes, prior CVA, COPD, chronic pain who just fell and broke their hip and is on 45 different medications. You will learn a lot about polypharmacy and drug-drug interactions.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Do neurosurgery.

You'll get geriatrics exposure in residency if you do IM and that will be sufficient. You won't get another chance to touch the brain of a living patient.

It will also give you useful knowledge regarding neurosurgical emergencies and when to refer your outpatients for neurosurgical evaluation.