What is brain surgery?
Brain surgery, or neurosurgery, is a surgical specialty that focuses on disorders affecting the brain, the spinal cord, or the peripheral nerves of the human body. Neurosurgery has a reputation for its difficulty and the length of its required training, hence the saying "it's not brain surgery."
Surgery training in general is very time-consuming. A neurosurgeon's training consists of four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, then five to seven years of surgical residency study, depending on the individual's program (whether 5 years of general surgery and then 3 of neurosurgery or an integrated 4+3 program, etc.). After residency, neurosurgeons may take on additional training at the post-resident level in the form of brain surgery fellowships, which allow further specialization.
In the US, less than 1% of all practicing medical doctors are neurosurgeons, meaning that neurosurgery is extremely competitive, even among the already cut-throat medical field.
Common pathologies treated by neurosurgeons include herniated spinal discs, spinal cord trauma, tumors of the spine, brain, and peripheral nervous system, and head trauma, such as skull fracture or brain hemorrhage.
Neurosurgeons make use of some of the most modern medical tools available, such as CT, MRI, PET, and MEG scans. When operating on such a sensitive part of the human body, it is essential that the surgeon have a clear idea of what is going on, ideally before even the first cut is made. When a surgeon has a good idea of what he is getting into before he does so, it is more likely that he will complete his operation successfully and provide a good outcome for the patient.
Surgery training in general is very time-consuming. A neurosurgeon's training consists of four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, then five to seven years of surgical residency study, depending on the individual's program (whether 5 years of general surgery and then 3 of neurosurgery or an integrated 4+3 program, etc.). After residency, neurosurgeons may take on additional training at the post-resident level in the form of brain surgery fellowships, which allow further specialization.
In the US, less than 1% of all practicing medical doctors are neurosurgeons, meaning that neurosurgery is extremely competitive, even among the already cut-throat medical field.
Common pathologies treated by neurosurgeons include herniated spinal discs, spinal cord trauma, tumors of the spine, brain, and peripheral nervous system, and head trauma, such as skull fracture or brain hemorrhage.
Neurosurgeons make use of some of the most modern medical tools available, such as CT, MRI, PET, and MEG scans. When operating on such a sensitive part of the human body, it is essential that the surgeon have a clear idea of what is going on, ideally before even the first cut is made. When a surgeon has a good idea of what he is getting into before he does so, it is more likely that he will complete his operation successfully and provide a good outcome for the patient.