How to Start a Career as a Brain Surgeon

Few professionals are as respected as brain surgeons, with good reason. Becoming a neurosurgeon requires years of training and a lifetime of dedication. It is one of the most demanding jobs in medicine. Follow these steps to see what the process entails.

Instructions

Prepare for a Medical Career

1. Look into medicine as a career. Investigate brain surgery at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (see the Who Can Help section below).

2. Ask advisers at colleges and universities where you plan to apply about their premed programs. Do the same with counselors at your high school.

3. Define the college courses that are a prerequisite for medical school and include them in your 4-year college curriculum.

4. Broaden your horizons and study new interests while in college, particularly in the humanities. You will have ample opportunity to learn the necessary biologic sciences while in medical school.

5. Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

6. Investigate medical schools. Include schools of osteopathic medicine. Doctors of osteopathy (D.O.) have all the same rights and privileges as do doctors of medicine (M.D.).

7. Apply for admission to the medical school of your choice and secure funding during your final year in college.

Become a Brain Surgeon

1. Complete your third-year clinical rotations before you choose a specialty.

2. Take a clinical rotation in neurosurgery.

3. Investigate various neurosurgical programs. The Society of Neurological Surgeons (see the link to "SF Residency and Fellowship Matching Service" in Who Can Help below) administers a residency-matching program that matches graduating medical students with neurosurgery training programs. It has pertinent information and a list of residencies.

4. Finish your residency. Neurosurgical residencies are 6 years in length. They include a general surgery internship, 3 years of clinical neurosurgery, 3 months of neurology and a varying amount of time spent studying neuroradiology, neuropathology and doing research.

5. Decide to practice in an academic or nonacademic setting. This decision will influence your choice of elective rotations.

6. Complete the process necessary to become board certified. This process is defined by the American Board of Neurological Surgery (see Who Can Help below). It includes letters of recommendation from instructors and program directors, a written exam, an oral exam and a review of surgical cases.

Tips & Warnings

• While in training, develop a network that will assist you in securing employment. This network should include attending physicians, residents who preceded you in the training program and contacts gained through conferences and meetings.