Are Neurosurgeons happy in the United States?
There are a number of factors that determine a neurosurgeon's lifestyle. These include subspecialty, academic vs. private practice, practice location, availability of residents/PAs, call schedule etc. The same factors also affect your salary. In the end you can tailor your lifestyle to some extent based on what's important to you. It's also important to distinguish the lifestyle of a neurosurgery resident from a neurosurgeon. The former is a lot more difficult in terms of hours, sleep etc.
When a neurosurgeon is on duty, his/her day might be very hectic or simple. It all depends upon the commitments.
- OPD day - It is mandatory to take ward round in morning before going to OPD. It is done to know about current status of patients. Neurosurgical patients can deteriorate at any time. Daily rounds help in knowing change in consciousness and neurological status. After round, OPD begins. It includes patients of headache, seizures, backache and few patients of tumor/neurological malformations. Most patients need thorough examination. So seeing more than 50 patients in a day is quite hectic and damaging to brain.
- Ward round day - Every neurosurgeon takes grand round in ward once or twice a week. This round include examination of dressings, file check up, treatment evaluation, reading and discussion of MRI/CT. Usually this day is relatively light as compared to other days if all patients are okay.
- OT day - Again very hectic day. After round, most neurosurgeons do OT. Most of the neurosurgical procedures are very tiring and of long duration (4–10 hours). Every procedure requires extreme concentration and dine movements of fingers.
After finishing hospital, every neurosurgeon spends the day just like other persons, except light night calls and writing about articles.
