When did you decide on neurosurgery?

[NSLhobbit]

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Now, I am not applying for neurosurgery. I'm more of a neurology type person. Operating isn't for me. I am just curious as far as when current residents or attendings decided on neurosurgery. I keep seeing posts by people in high school, undergrad, or even medical school who express an interest in neurosurgery, and the seem to be rebuffed for being unrealistic in their goals.

So what convinced you to do neurosurgery as opposed to some other specialty, and where in your career were you at the time?

 

[mmmcdowe]

Now, I am not applying for neurosurgery. I'm more of a neurology type person. Operating isn't for me. I am just curious as far as when current residents or attendings decided on neurosurgery. I keep seeing posts by people in high school, undergrad, or even medical school who express an interest in neurosurgery, and the seem to be rebuffed for being unrealistic in their goals.

So what convinced you to do neurosurgery as opposed to some other specialty, and where in your career were you at the time?

I'm very bent on the neurology/neurosurgery path. For me, I basically was swept into the neurosurgery path over neurology because I got lucky with some early interactions that have put me into an environment that I very much have enjoyed in terms of the camaraderie, the hands on do it yourself philosophy, and team spirit even if I'm not as inclined to use the lab pull up bar and play softball on the team. It is also just a practical thing at this point. When I finally make my choice in 3rd year having experienced neuro/neurosurg as much as possible, would it be better to risk that I happen to be neurosurg heavy and neuro light and decide to go into neuro instead or be neurosurg light and neuro heavy and decide to go into neurosurg instead? I'm not ignoring either and my research is applicable, intentionally, to both. However, if I were to apply today I would have 3 strong letters of support from neurosurgeons and 1 from a neurologist. I'm putting the focus in that direction unless something knocks me in another direction. Nothing has yet come close and I don't foresee it happening, but I admit that I am not experienced enough yet to make a decision without looking naive.

 

[kitsunepixie]

I actually rediscovered neurosurgery during medical school. I first thought about becoming a neurosurgeon when I was in middle school, thanks to reading inspirational stories about pediatric neurosurgeons and having a few friends (one w/ spina bifida) and family members (a cousin with a craniopharyngioma and DI/hypopit) whose lives were touched by one of the pediatric neurosurgeons who, strangely enough, I'll get to work with throughout residency.

Somewhat dissuaded by the length of training, the massive medical school debt, and the astronomical malpractice insurance that becoming a neurosurgeon entails, I did journey off the path a couple of times to explore other talents and interests. I ultimately decided to attend med school after all, thinking that I'd go into Psychiatry or Neurology with my interest in the brain, until I did a rotation with the above pediatric neurosurgeon and discovered that I couldn't do anything BUT neurosurgery. I'm a creative, artistic type and enjoy working with my hands and thinking on my feet, I love the excitement and complexity, I'm addicted to the "rush" and don't mind the long hours to get my "fix," I love seeing people pulled from the brink of death, I love all the different niches (vascular disorders, spine, peripheral nerve, tumors, cranial reconstructions), and I enjoy my colleagues and mentors. My home Dept. was extremely supportive, so I had excellent mentors available to me. There are more reasons but I'll stop here. 🙂

 

[Fifty 3rds]

Kitsunepixie,

How is being a resident? I appreciate your answer. I am of a similar predisposition. (Creative, Artistic) Of course I see these attributes applying to many fields, although neurosurgery always looks exciting from an outsiders perspective.

 

[kitsunepixie]

Kitsunepixie,

How is being a resident? I appreciate your answer. I am of a similar predisposition. (Creative, Artistic) Of course I see these attributes applying to many fields, although neurosurgery always looks exciting from an outsiders perspective.

I'm an intern and start July 1st, so I'll let you know once I'm in the heat of things. 😉 I start off with Neuroanatomy and outpatient Neurology, so I'll be the most relaxed intern in the hospital until I'm on trauma surgery a few months after that. How it is as a resident is dependent on what service one is on and at what program one is at, as well as other things. In neurosurgery the intern year is easier than being a PGY-2 or PGY-3, at least according to Dr. Vertosick's book When the Air Hits Your Brain and from what I've seen from my sub-Is.

There is a wide variety of individuals in each specialty in medicine, and Neurosurgery is no exception. I met quite a few neurosurgeons on the trail who paint, sculpt, write, play the drums in a physician-only rock band (Vyagra Falls 😉)...and many with (non-golf) athletic hobbies like surfing, soccer, rockclimbing...I think the creative side comes in handy where innovation and solving unique patient problems are concerned, which I've especially seen in Peds (like congenital malformations, and certain trauma situations -- like a pencil through the upper eyelid into the frontal lobe), thus why I lean toward that specialty (for now).