The Complete Guide To Becoming A Neurosurgeon

Choosing a career in a specialized field of medicine is not plain sailing, as you need to prepare mentally upfront for stressless studying days and sleepless nights before exams. If you wish to upscale in the field of medicine though, choosing neurosurgery might be a wise choice as it’s become one of the most popular jobs in Australia. Neurosurgery is a field of medicine related to diagnosing and treating ailments related to the brain, spine, and other nervous system elements. Unlike a standard surgeon, a neurosurgeon’s job is more delicate. Understanding the concept of neurosurgery may give you a clearer insight into what you would require to be a neurosurgeon. In this article, you will have the opportunity to understand all the steps necessary to becoming a neurosurgeon.

Get the vital degree level

To start with, you would first need to earn a bachelor’s degree in medicine or neurology from a well-respected university in Australia. Getting a doctorate in this medical field is requisite as not many medical courses offer this level of expertise. It would be beneficial to get higher grades in courses related to advance biology science or earn extra points for human anatomy, microbiology, and biochemistry. Once you obtain an outstanding pre-medical curriculum, you would be on the right path to becoming an eligible neurosurgeon.

Pass the medical licensing exam and get certified

People all across Australia need to be assured that they are in the right hands. Hence, as all patients should find it easy to search for an experienced neurosurgeon in Brisbane, it’s equally vital to get all the obligatory certifications with high grades and in time. After completing a medical school, you require at least six more years of university-approved training to get all the certifications and licensing. In those six years, you would spend around two years of training in surgery, three years of residency in neurosurgery with around six months spend on pediatric neurosurgery, and then you would further specialize in a subspecialty of neurosurgery. Passing the medical exam requires you to take a test right after medical school or within the first part of a residency program.

Complete an internship or neurosurgical residency program

This task is one of the most demanding and tedious processes in becoming a neurosurgeon. After you have passes a medical licensure exam, you would need to complete an internship. During a specific neurosurgical residency program, you would be under the supervision of a seasoned, qualified, and experienced medical doctor. You would get heads-on experience that will aid you to prepare for your specialization in neurosurgery. The internship includes doing a year of hospital internship, then you would enter your residency program which takes about three years. You’ll be making hospital rounds with a supervising neurosurgeon, monitoring and examining patients, and assisting with surgeries.

Gather skills and continue learning

In spite of numerous educational requisitions for a neurosurgeon, you would need to keep up with continuous education. Your state license and board certification would have to be periodically updated for you to keep practicing. Taking a fellowship is one way of keeping up with all neurosurgeon subspecialties. In the alternative, you could attend professional development seminars, and complete various advancement courses related to neurologists and neurosurgeons which are offered by local or state medical associations.  The key is to keep up with regular education to be acquainted with new surgical procedures, techniques, and other breakthroughs in the field of neurology. Plus, learning a foreign language or two is also crucial as well as improving your communicative and learning skills.

The role of a neurosurgeon

A neurosurgeon’s job entails treating patients with conditions related to the brain, spine, or other segments of the nervous system. Neurosurgeons are obliged to diagnose, perform professional assessments, and surgical treatment of conditions such as tumors in the brain, spine, and skull, head and spinal cord trauma, epilepsy, cerebral aneurysms and strokes, and movement disorders, and many more. Neurosurgeons see patients of all ages and conditions, and most cases tend to be acute and life-threatening emergencies as well as chronic debilitating conditions.

Becoming a neurosurgeon is certainly a well-respected and responsible job just like all other medicinal jobs. If you opt for becoming one, be prepared for years of education, training, and residencies.