Research as a neurosurgeon

[Fundersam]

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I read somewhere that neurosurgeons don't have time to split their work clinical/research, because of the time-consuming demands of surgery. Is this true?

With knowledge and technology constantly developing, any reason to believe that these demands will change in the next 10 years?

 

[neuro raqs]

No, this is not an absolute. One of the neurosurgeons I shadowed told me that it depends on a number of factors. One is where you practice. In an academic medical center with a big research focus, you can. Johns Hopkins has a number of examples of neurosurgeons with labs, who do some bad ass research. Check out Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa. There's also Dr. Linda Liau at UCLA. In a small, private hospital the opportunities to do research would probably be drastically less.

It might also depend on the type of surgery. Doing trauma would be more unpredictable than functional neurosurgery. An unpredictable schedule could make it difficult to run a lab.

Also the type of research. Physician-scientists that I've talked to have said combining research works best if what you study is closely related to what you do. The surgeon I shadowed did functional neurosurgery and collected data for his epilepsy research from his patients when he was implanting electrodes his epileptic patients.

I'm also interested in the field and neuroscience research. The impression that I've been getting is that you can do both. It's not easy, and you have to be smart in the way you go about it. I'd definitely appreciate hearing the opinions of any neurosurgeon-scientists, especially on how the field might be changing.

 

[phantomx87]

If you work for an academic center (i.e. anywhere that has a medical school or is affiliated with one), then research is pretty much required. Some places, like residencies, have publishing requirements. In an academic setting, clinical research is par for the course.

I could see not having a ton of time for BASIC lab research, but if you were the PI (again, academic setting) you would still be expected to publish.

Research in the private sector... Not so much. That's pretty much up to the individual surgeon, but more often than not PP NS will not do research (takes away from money-earning caseload).