The road to becoming a neurosurgeon is an arduous one that requires both intellectual mettle and years of focused education and experience. One of the most complex and delicate systems in the human body is the central nervous system, which is basically what this specialised medical field entails practitioners to handle. Neurosurgery is a highly particular field and the track is rigorous to be certain that the best of professionals will handle these responsibilities. The timeline and stages involved in becoming a neurosurgeon is broken down beautifully by here.
Undergraduate Degree
Duration: 4 Years
It all starts with four years as an undergraduate. Many who aspire to work as a neurosurgeon will take pre-medical tracks with majors in the scientific fields of biology, chemistry (bchem), or physics. This basic program is an important one as it saves students for the demanding medical school journey which includes Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) exam so it's mandatory for getting admission in medical school.
Medical School
Duration: 4 Years
After finishing your bachelor's degree, you must go to medical school for four years to be officially licensed as a physician. On the curricular side, Phase 1 encompasses the first two years and is devoted to basic/mastering the medical sciences (anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology). Other days, they reflect and question the many years of rigorous academic studying that the first two years of college calls for, only to realize that it was all meant to build a foundation of basic sciences that are crucial to understand before their final two clinical years in medical school involving clinical rotations from different medical disciplines including comprehensive exposure to surgery and neurology; essential training grounds for a future career as a neurosurgeon.
Residency Program
Duration: 6-8 Years
Once he finishes medical school the future neurosurgeon becomes a resident in the field of neurosurgery-an exacting process that is among the most demanding and longest training periods in medicine. This typically involves a six to eight year long neurosurgical residency after you finish medical school, which spans not only surgical training for things like tumors and aneurysms but also learning how to surgically address various other diseases and conditions in the above list, if required.
Fellowship (Optional)
Duration: 1-2 Years
Although not required, some go on to complete subspecialty fellowships in fields such as pediatric neurosurgery, spine surgery or cerebrovascular. They receive additional training through a fellowship (an extra year or two of training). Fellowships are opportunities for extensive training and greater specialization in a specific subspecialty of neurosurgery.
Board Certification
After finishing residency, neurosurgeons may become board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. The former being written exam which is also tough followed by a viva, Viva badge who has filled his thesis, log book or called as operational skill log.
Overall, it takes 14 to 16 years of education and training after the completion of high school in order to become a neurosurgeon. This way, neurosurgeons are taught well and prepared to handle neurological cases at the highest level.
More details for this career, visit how long to become neurosurgeon.
Of course, opting for a career in neurosurgery is an honour and arduous choice that entails years of work and care for the patient. The vast amount of specialized research and practice needed to becoming a board-certified, skilled neurosurgeon are what make these medical professionals among the elite trained in the medical community.