DeLozier 1
Maddie DeLozier
Ms. Mortensen
Health Science Exploration
14 January, 2013
The World of Neurosurgery
Neurosurgeons are some of the most highly regarded professionals in the medical, and
more precisely, the surgical field. They care for both adult and adolescent patients. A
neurosurgeon has to be very precise and skilled with their hands and tools. It is their job to
operate on the nervous system. They deal with brain and spinal cord diseases and tumors, as well
as treating pain or altering the function of the central nervous system. Not only are
neurosurgeons in charge of the brain and spinal cord, they also operate on the peripheral and
autonomic nervous systems, their support structures, and their vascular supplies. This means they
are in charge of all the nerves in the cranium as well as the skull itself, the vertebral column, the
meninges, and the tissue vessels around the brain and spine that hold blood and spinal fluid.
Because of the very skilled work they do, they must go through a lot of schooling. The
average college student in America spends about six years earning a four year degree, and then
move on into the work force. However for neurosurgeons, they are looking at anywhere from 1928 years of schooling and practice after high school before they can become board certified and
licensed to practice without supervision.
DeLozier 2
Undergraduate school takes four years, followed by four years in medical school. Then
depending on their specialty, they spend between three and eight years as an intern and five to
seven years as a resident. Once all of this is completed, most choose to participate in a one to two
year fellowship, followed by between two and three years of additional practice in a local
hospital. Even with the very grueling schooling neurosurgeons go through, many also choose to
volunteer at local hospitals and clinics while they are students. Finally, after successfully
completing all of the above, a neurosurgeon must pass the American Board of Neurosurgery
exam and apply for a license in the state they want to work in before they can begin working
unsupervised.
While getting their undergraduate, hopeful future neurosurgeons focus their studies
mainly on the sciences. Physics, biology, mathematics, english, organic chemistry, and inorganic
chemistry are their main focuses for the first 4 years. Because of the heavy focus on science,
many neurosurgeons graduate with a Bachelors of Science degree. For neurosurgeons, the best
colleges to get their Bachelors of Science degree at are Amherst College, Bates College, and
Brown University because they have some of the best pre-med programs. While in the last year
as an undergrad, they must take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). They have to
pass the test to be able to even apply to medical schools. University of California (San Francisco)
Medical Center, Yale University School of Medicine, and University of Miami School of
Medicine are the three top medical schools for Neurosurgeons in the United States.
Once neurosurgeons get their license to practice, their workload does not get any easier.
After years of demanding schooling, they face a career of demanding work. Though
neurosurgeons get to work indoors and in well-lit hospitals and exam rooms, their job is still very
DeLozier 3
difficult. On top of working over 60 hours a week, many neurosurgeons are also constantly on
call. They can be called at any time of the day or night to come in to work if needed.
Because of continual advances in the field and the precise nature of their work,
neurosurgeons frequently get new tools. The most popular instruments used today are aneurysm
coils and pedicle screws. Ventriculoscopes, endoscopes, MRIs, ultrasounds, and fluoroscopy are
all popular tools that allow the surgeon to be able to see the area they are operating on with better
clarity. Some of the most recently developed tools include the da Vinci surgical system, the
conopet ultrasonic surgical aspirator, the StealthStation AXIEM electromagnetic navigation
system, and the Zeiss Pentero microscope. These tools allow the surgeon to see better, use
smaller incisions, and do more precise work while they are in surgery to allow for more
successful surgeries, less damage done to surrounding tissue during surgery, a faster healing
process, and a better quality of life for their patients. These are the main tools in use today, but
research results in additional tools being developed on a continuing basis. New tools and
procedures allow skilled neurosurgeons to improve and save even more lives.
Neurosurgeons hold the lives of many people in their very capable hands everyday, and
because of this, they face legal and ethical problems on a daily basis. Two of the most common
issues they face are reporting diseases to the correct authorities when required and acting without
a patient’s permission, even if it is to keep the patient and those around him or her safe.
Reporting problems with drugs and devices to their patients can also require difficult
conversations. However, one of the most complicated problems neurosurgeons and other medical
professionals face is reporting drug or alcohol addictions and mental or physical illnesses they
find in their colleagues to the appropriate authority. The most common legal problem they face is
medical malpractice. Common forms of medical malpractice for neurosurgeons include: failure
DeLozier 4
to diagnose, failure to warn a patient about risks, and improper treatment. 19.1% of
neurosurgeons are sued for malpractice yearly. Though only 1.6% of neurosurgeons make a
payment to the plaintiff, the average amount of that payment is $465,000. In 2005 neurosurgeons
paid around $28 million towards malpractice suits. To protect themselves, neurosurgeons pay an
average of $100,000 per year for malpractice insurance. Because of all the legal and ethical
issues that neurosurgeons face, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
created a code of ethics to help prevent lawsuits, and possibly fatal mistakes.
Neurosurgery is a very in demand field, and will be for as long as people have spinal cord
or brain injuries. As of now, there is a shortage of neurosurgeons in many cities around the
world. Because of the required education, time, and demanding work schedules, neurosurgeons
remain one of the best paid physicians in the healthcare field. While they are a resident or an
intern, neurosurgeons begin making about $10 an hour, and as they become more experienced,
that salary will continue to go up. On average neurosurgeons make around $675,000 dollars a
year. However in 2010, the top 10 percent reported making upwards of 1.2 million a year.
Neurosurgeons have one of the most demanding, but also most rewarding jobs. They
spend years in school, only to graduate and continue on with a very demanding work schedule.
On the other hand, they get to specialize in a field where not many have made it. There are only
3,229 board certified and practicing neurosurgeons in the United States today. These
neurosurgeons are among the most talented and most educated physicians people come in
contact with. They get to spend their days not only improving the quality of life for their patients,
but also saving lives. And while they do this rewarding work, they get to use some of the most
advanced equipment, and work with many other brilliant minds.
DeLozier 5
Works Cited
Neurosurgeryschools.com. (2011). Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from neurosurgeryschools.com:
http://www.neurosurgeryschools.com/top_school_rankings/index.html
AANS. (2008, 04 29). Study Analyzes How the Malpractice Environment Impacts Practicing
Neurosurgeons. Retrieved 01 14, 2013, from Medical News Today:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/105599.php
American Association of Neurological Surgery. (2001). Informed Consent. Retrieved 01 14, 2013, from
American Association of Neurological Surgery:
http://www.aans.org/Education%20and%20Meetings/CME/~/media/Files/Education%20and%2
0Meetingf/Ethics%20Module/13InformedConsentModuleWTC35.ashx
Antonoff, S. R. (n.d.). The Experts' Choice: Colleges with Great Pre-Med Programs. Retrieved 01 12, 2013,
from College Xpress: http://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/the-experts-choice-colleges-withgreat-pre-med-programs/199/
Boeschen, C. (n.d.). Medical Malpractice Basics. Retrieved 01 14, 2013, from NOLO Law for All:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/medical-malpractice-basics-29855.html
Center, S. L. (2011, 04 13). What Does A Nerosurgeon Do? Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from St Lucie Medical
Center: http://blog.stluciemed.com/2011/04/13/what-does-a-neurosurgeon-do/
Chi, J. H. (2011, 12). Neurosurgery Top Malpractice Risk. Retrieved 01 14, 2013, from Neurosurgery :
http://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/Fulltext/2011/12000/Neurosurgery_Tops_Malpractice_
Risk.8.aspx
Deborah L. Benzil, M. (2004). New Tools of the Trade. Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from American Associaion
of Neurological Surgeons: http://www.aans.org/Media/Article.aspx?ArticleId=25298
Hope, C. o. (2012). Neurosurgery Tools of the Trade. Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from City of Hope:
http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/surgicalservices/neurosurgery/Pages/Tools-of-the-Trade.aspx
Huds, D. (n.d.). Neurosurgeon Education Requirements. Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from eHow:
http://www.ehow.com/info_7962242_neurosurgeon-education-requirements.html
Kaufman, H. (1991). Ethical and legal responsibilities of neurosurgeon. Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from
National Center for Biotechnology Information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2067622
Kesler, J. (2010). Neurosurgeon Job Description. Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from Health Care Salary Online:
http://www.healthcaresalaryonline.com/neurosurgeon-job-description.html
Liese, A. (2009). askville. Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from askville: http://askville.amazon.com/long-averagestudent-finish-college/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=15513980
DeLozier 6
Makarian, G. Z. (n.d.). What is a Neurosurgeon? Retrieved 01 14, 2013, from Center for Neruo and Spine:
http://www.centerforneuroandspine.com/Patients/What-is-a-Neurosurgeon/default.aspx
Santiago, A. (2010). how much money does a neurosurgeon earn? Retrieved 01 12, 2013, from
about.com.health careers:
http://healthcareers.about.com/od/compensationinformation/f/How-Much-Money-Does-ANeurosurgeon-Earn.htm
Scarrow, D. A. (n.d.). The Committee of the Council of State Neurological Societies. 01. (D. M. PerezCruet, Interviewer)