Why I DIDN'T... Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is an amazing specialty, I was seriously considering becoming a neurosurgeon until my surgery rotation in medical school, when I realized it wasn't for me. Choosing a specialty is one of the most important decisions you'll make in medical school and in your path to becoming a doctor. Neurosurgery is a fantastic specialty, but it's not for everyone.

This is my experience with neurosurgery, why it was high on my list of potential specialties, and tips for you if you're considering specializing in neurosurgery in the future.

Some of the things I loved about neurosurgery include the subject matter, more specifically the central and peripheral nervous systems. I loved the personalities and the emphasis on medical management as well – being well rounded in both surgical and medical techniques.

However, there are some things I didn't like. The outcomes are usually poor compared to other specialties, brain surgery is less precise than I expected, and the work life balance is one of the worst.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction
00:59 - My Experience with neurosurgery
05:39 - Surprising things about neurosurgery
10:00 - Tips for those considering neurosurgery

LINKS FROM VIDEO:

#neurosurgery #whyididnt #medicalschool
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Disclaimer: Content of this video is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Kevin Jubbal, M.D. will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death. May include affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through them (at no extra cost to you).

[martinrutkowskimd]

Kevin, join me in the OR anytime, and I’d be happy to show you how beautiful, intricate, and delicate our surgeries can be. We don’t do “crude.” ☝🏻🙂

[DaemonGeek]

As a neurosurgeon, your comment/observation regarding how "crude" it can be at times is spot on. However, there is a curious parallel that it is also incredibly unforgiving of surgical error; unlike, say, general surgery, where if you poke a hole in the bowel, you can simply sew it shut, if you cut a nerve in a spine surgery, or go slightly too close to the motor strip or speech center in a brain surgery, there is no recovery from it. The patient will suffer irreparable harm. Hence, the high incidence of malpractice lawsuits against neurosurgeons.

[wholeNwon]

Very accurate. One of the major reasons I didn't go into NS was an experience scrubbing in with a famous professor of NS who was operating on an 18 yo boy who was really a great young man. What had appeared to be a potentially approachable tumor in his right hemisphere on exposure was obviously grossly malignant and much more aggressively invasive than anticipated. The whole room fell silent and the surgeon's eyes were tearing.
I knew I couldn't deal with that with any frequency.

[eraserboy]

Neurosurgery is fantastic but when I experienced being a first assist in a brain bypass surgery I attended as an Intern, after 12 hours, I realized this field was not for me at all. Exhausting and cumbersome. It is highly rewarding and intellectually stimulating, but it can be a very physically and demanding field especially the 7 year training. Kudos to the neurosurgeons for their work though.

[IdeaCalledFreedom]

I’m not a neurosurgeon but I’ve spent 5 months on neurosurgery rotations so far and I’m applying for neurosurgery, and in my experience I’d agree that the bread and butter of neurosurgery is fairly crude: we’re talking spine and head trauma, it’s a lot of big fast movements and popping skull caps off in a hurry. But I love that you can have that PLUS the fine intricate details of a skull base meningioma all in one day.

[tinselbmerryweather]

I have had 10 brain surgery because of my Hydrocephalus. Im glad for my Neurosurgeons

[forLife-tlkj]

I just got into Medical school. In my country it's 6 instead of 4 years. Am really hoping to get into a neurosurgery residency program after Med school. Now I know that Dr. Jubbal can help me with his videos to find an alternative if I change my mind. God bless you sir!

[GREGhere]

When is “So you want to be a Rocket Surgeon” coming out?? 😂

[andrewd]

These videos are great and I like the blunt honesty more than the so you wanna be series, please keep them coming!

[Chris]

Psychologically, you might find that some neurosurgeons keep a good sense of humour and relaxed demenaour amongst peers to try and offset the stress and negativity that occurs with poor or negative outcomes in patients. A coping mechanism perhaps to help process this. I've seen this before in other specialities, especially pre-hospital medicine and emergency medicine, cracking dark jokes and keeping things lighter than they are in reality.

[yarnmaniacs]

Brain tumor patient here! Loved my NS…he was straight forward and to the point..

[BEstudent]

I am a patient with a grade 4 astrocytoma and when I first met my neurosurgeon he was very calm and explained the awake resection and other questions that I had. Those people are like OG stuff to me.😁😁

In for example brain tumor removal they have to walk a fine line between removing as much as they can and considering the quality of life. If they remove too much then I can't speak or move properly anymore, losing quality of life.

I am currently doing fine! 😁 I had radiotherapy about 6 months ago and I am now on the home stretch with the chemotherapy. The scans are showing no growth of the tumor which is the objective of the treatment, so everything is going quite nicely. Of course the tumor will eventually start growing again but I will think about that when it is applicable. I had nice holidays and I have quite some things planned for myself.

Cheers!

[mikeharvey]

85 to 90% of what neurosurgeons do is back and peripheral nerve surgery. There are like 5, 500 neurosurgeons (not including residents and fellows) only about 400 primarily work on the brain and skull.

[abaalgahesaabaalgahesa]

Dr. Kevin I slightly disagree with you in that neurosurgery is not precise surgery when compared to plastic surgery. Because both specialities are precise but in different ways. Neurosurgery depends on precise minimal surgical changes but in small dangerous area, as you work in a small limited surgical field and within limited bony structures and this needs high precision to do that minimal surgical work safely, wheres the same operation may be much easier and cruder if done in other area of the body like abdomen or subcutaneously as you always surrounded by precious structures during neurosurgery. On the other hand plastic surgery is much different as the amount of surgery neede and done is much much more than the neurosurgery and the surgical field is much capitious and the precision here is to apply the best geometric changes not to avoid injury of highly dangerous structures or to work in a narrow crowded field. That is why I consider plastic surgery is the basic pure surgery.

[abaalgahesaabaalgahesa]

Finally neurosurgery is tough field and the only port to it in my opinion is loving neuroscience and surgery together.

[danielkulinich]

I studied Neuroscience at UCSD and medschool at UCLA, love the symmetry haha

[emmanuel_nwogu_medic]

A lot of people choose their specialties to feed their ego.
Do something that suits your personality, mental and physical stamina.

[PewPewFig]

I like how even in the smartest circles, like a room full of doctors, there's stereotypes about who's the dumb one, like bro, NONE OF YOU are dumb 😂😂 it's funny tho

[breea]

I had the same shock when it came to neurosurgery being less precise than I anticipated.

[AMERICANPSYCHO]

I've heard that Neurosurgery has the highest rate of depression and suicide among all surgical professions, due to the constant negative outcomes. As you say, they also have a great sense of humor... perhaps it's a coping mechanism to deal with the negativity. A friend of mine switched from neurosurgery to hand surgery, for 2.5 reasons: positive outcomes and subsequently affecting patients' lives in a productive way, and a more regular schedule (not being called in the middle of the night).