Neurosurgery is one of the most lucrative and profitable medical specializations in medicine. Unfortunately, not everyone can attain this career since the process towards the profession is quite challenging and only open to the best of the best. Furthermore, there is fierce competition just to get accepted into a neurosurgical residency program.
Nevertheless, with a lot of hard work and an exceptional understanding of the human brain, an aspiring neurosurgeon can make his way to a very fulfilling and financially profitable career.
- Earn a bachelor’s degree. A four year undergraduate degree is the beginning of a long college education for neurosurgeons. While most students get a bachelor’s degree in one of the sciences, this is not necessary. The most important aspect of the undergraduate degree is to get exceptional grades, and be able to do volunteer work or other extracurricular school related activities. You will need to stand out in the crowd of med school applicants, so you should be well rounded.
At the very beginning of your college education, begin looking at potential medical schools and make sure your undergraduate degree will fulfill the prerequisite requirements. Be sure to look at more than one medical school, a back up plan is always a good thing. - Take the MCAT. In order to get into medical school, with very rare exception, you will need to take and pass the Medical College Admission Test or MCAT. The exam is conducted by the American Association of Medical Colleges. Typically students begin to study in earnest for the MCAT in their junior year of college. The exam is usually taken in the third year of undergraduate work. It may be retaken if the score is not as high as desired.
- Obtain volunteer hours. It is expected that applicants to medical school will have volunteer hours on their resume. This may include tutoring, mission trips, volunteering at a homeless shelter, helping at a home for at risk teens, or any number of activities. It is an essential part of the application process, so start gathering hours at the beginning of the college process.
- Going to medical school. Four years of medical school is the normal amount of time it takes to finish the college portion of medical education. There are some six year programs available that combine undergraduate and medical school, but the education is very rigorous. Medical school will involve two years of classes and then an additional two years of medical student education working with physicians and seeing patients. As you enter your senior year, apply for residency in a neurosurgery specialization program. Take the state medical boards to become a licensed physician and continue on with your desired specialization in neurosurgery.
- Complete the residency program. You will need another six to eight years to complete your neurosurgery residency program. Make sure to complete it with flying colors. Fellowship will come right after your residency program and that should take you another one to two years to complete. Once that is done, you are ready to be certified.
- Get certification. The last step in the education process is becoming certified as a neurosurgery specialist from the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
- Salary and job outlook. A starting neurosurgeon in most hospitals will receive an average salary of $300,000 per year. However, as you progress and become accomplished, the neurosurgeon salary will increase gradually. Neurosurgeon salaries can exceed $750,000 per year based on experience and location as well as other factors. Job growth for surgeons is expected to be around 20% in the next ten years.
It is a long arduous process to become a neurosurgeon, but the monetary rewards can be well worth the effort. That, too, can be a small reward compared to giving someone back their life. Working on brains and spines is very delicate work with huge rewards for the patient at stake.