What challenges are present in the daily lives of neurosurgeons?

Hi Almond,

Neurosurgeons are doctors who diagnose and treat problems with the nervous system, often by performing surgery on the brain or spine. Neurosurgeons treat strokes, tumors, certain types of birth defects, infections and head or spinal cord injuries. The daily life of a neurosurgeon is extremely complex and demanding, with rapidly changing tasks and responsibilities.

Daily Tasks

• The day of a neurosurgeon starts early, frequently between 5:30 and 7 am. The neurosurgeon's primary daily responsibility is to perform surgery to resolve problems with the nervous system, but there are a number of other tasks that must also be done. These include assessing and diagnosing patients as they come in to the hospital, an unpredictable task because emergency patients cannot be scheduled ahead of time. The neurosurgeon must also meet with the families of patients in surgery and update them on the situation with their family members, as well as keeping records, writing prescriptions and filling out paperwork.

Emergency Surgeries

• The neurosurgeon's day might begin with a scheduled surgery to remove a brain tumor or repair some nerve damage, with other elective procedures scheduled for later in the day. However, the elective surgeries can suddenly be preempted by an unscheduled emergency surgery for a patient with an aneurysm or a stroke. The schedule of a neurosurgeon changes constantly to accommodate emergencies, and neurosurgeons are frequently called upon for consultations with other departments in the hospital.

Hours

• Neurosurgeons often perform multiple procedures in a single day, ranging from simple outpatient treatments to complex brain surgeries using a pedal-operated microscope for detailed work. Even the head of a hospital's neurosurgery department may operate hundreds of times a year. Because of the need to deal with sudden medical emergencies, neurosurgeons frequently don't get home until much later than they had initially planned. A day that begins at six or seven in the morning may not end until after nine at night. Because of the intense and demanding nature of the work, many neurosurgeons describe this career as a calling rather than just a way to make a living. This career usually appeals to people who are fascinated by the way the brain works, comfortable in high-stress environments and confident in their decision-making abilities.

Medical Training

• Neurosurgeons begin their medical training by obtaining either a Doctor of Medicine degree, M.D., or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, D.O.M. While in school, medical students complete courses in areas such as anatomy and biochemistry and obtain practical training in diagnosing illnesses and completing patient medical histories. The final two years of medical training are spent completing various rotations in different medical specialties, including surgery. Rotations provide hands-on experience and are conducted under the supervision of experienced physicians.

In: http://work.chron.com/daytoday-responsibilities-neurosurgeon-7053.html
http://work.chron.com/requirements-neurosurgeon-1057.html

Good Luck in your journey!