Young Resident Impression of the Hardships of Neurosurgical Training
The hours in the training are some of the longest and grueling in medicine, it is one of the most demanding specialties to go into if you want a good personal life. Prospective neurosurgeons have a long educational path that includes medical school and residency, and potentially a fellowship, each with its own unique time constraints.
Medical School Hours
The average day in medical school varies widely from the first day as a freshman to the last day as a senior. Typically the first two years, which are more class-based could follow a normal university semestered schedule with both courses being delivered from early morning until afternoon. During the final two years, which students enter just before they begin their clinical rotations, they must have later nights. Clinical rotations at the hospital often begin as early as 6 or 7am and can extend until around 7pm, which might include a night time duty or weekend shift, depending on the rotation.
Residency Demands
Neurosurgery residency is where the long hours begin to kick in. Neurosurgery residents work 80 hours a week most of the time, but frequently this is exceeded due to hospital requirements and extenuating circumstances such as surgeries or emergencies. During residency, much of the work requires long call schedules due to the need for constant availability to manage neurosurgical emergencies.
Life of a daily Routine neurosurgery Resident
A day in the life of a neurosurgical resident would usually begin before sunrise and end in the late evening. JahromiBright and early, I make rounds to see patients, only to then spend hours in surgery each day. Residents often spend their post-op hours by rounding on inpatients, attending educational lectures and preparing for upcoming surgeries. Residents cover overnight on-call nights wherein they are expected to be physically present within the hospital at all times so they can address any urgent cases that may arise.
Fellowship Schedules
If you specialize in a particular subspecialty within neurosurgery and choose to do a fellowship after residency, you might find your hours to be a tad more regular in comparison with residency. But they are still long hours in the hospital, extensive surgery and a significant amount of time devoted to research and teaching.
The Commitment Required
Becoming a neurosurgeon demands long and odd hours, particularly during residency. The pace of their training schedule mirrors the high-stakes nature of the work, and the level of acumen required to conduct life-saving procedures.
But as many readers consider similarly challenging paths, whether those are in neurosurgery or elsewhere, having a better understanding of the timeline when it comes to admissions can be extremely important. For more information on how long it can take to complete the application process, visit: how long does it take to get accepted.
Becoming a neurosurgeon is a grueling, almost unfathomably difficult road, requiring intellectual excellence sure – but also physical stamina and the willingness to endure years of long hours required to forge this demanding medical specialty.