Am I insane?

[Chris01]

Dear forum,

I have posted this on several other sections of the site but had no responses! Please, if anyone does read this and has an opinion, do respond, as I could really use some input and some of you have passed on very sound words of practical advice to others...

In short, I am a graduate-entry medical student, currently working towards finals this summer. I could really use some advice because I've started to consider the possibility of a neurosurgical career and really have no idea whether or not this is one of those bizarre fads one has where you look back ten years later and scoff at one's folly, or whether it is actually the start of a lifelong career...

I entered med school at 26 and will be almost 31 when I graduate this summer. I have a first class honours in my first degree, which was an arts degree in English Literature (fairly useless). I decided to retrain in medicine and got into a very competitive fast-track grad med course and am now in the final year. I always loved neuroanatomy and neuroscience and initially thought of a career in neurology but was put off when I saw how little power the meds actually have to help a lot of people with chronic disease. I had never really thought of neurosurgery even though I was enthralled by the two or three operations I attended. In fact, I never even thought about surgery in general, presuming that 'it wasn't for me'... this was for reasons I now can't really remember, perhaps a certain concern about my age and the length of training...

Recently, with the foundation programme looming and in the knowledge that I have to choose a speciality within about two years, I have started to question whether it would be ridiculous to consider neurosurgery.

To give you an idea of what I have to offer - I have done well at college and will probably get into the top quartile of academic results for my med school. I have won several prizes (unfortunately none connected with neurosurgery); had an abstract published (again, not neurosurgery) and presented at a national conference (again, same problem). I have no real contacts in neurosurgery, know little about the pathway and have no real claim to having shown a commitment to the speciality thus far (this can of course be remedied during the foundation years).

Basically, I am unsure of whether I can get onto a run-through programme, whether it is even realistic to try, whether I am going to be too old (33 when I finish the foundation programme with potentially eight years of higher training to go), and whether I will be working so many hours that my wife will kill me!

Please do feel free to tell me it's not realistic/too hard/going to kill me and my marriage if this is the case... I would rather hear the bad news and decide on something else than get into something I can't complete or won't enjoy.

Thank you!
Chris01

[smile88egc]

First off I don't have any experience or wisdom to pass on, I'm only a 4th year student but you sound pretty desperate so here's my two cents...
Go into foundation years with an open mind, try and get some surgical jobs and go to career events. Try and get some more exposure to neurosurgery before you make a decision either way and keep your options open for as long as possible.
If you still haven't decided once you're a foundation doctor then you can still go for core surgical training. Your CV sounds pretty good and I'm not sure your age or marriage will stop you from doing anything if you're determined

[yazoo]

Recently, with the foundation programme looming and in the knowledge that I have to choose a speciality within about two years, I have started to question whether it would be ridiculous to consider neurosurgery.

To give you an idea of what I have to offer - I have done well at college and will probably get into the top quartile of academic results for my med school. I have won several prizes (unfortunately none connected with neurosurgery); had an abstract published (again, not neurosurgery) and presented at a national conference (again, same problem). I have no real contacts in neurosurgery, know little about the pathway and have no real claim to having shown a commitment to the speciality thus far (this can of course be remedied during the foundation years).

Basically, I am unsure of whether I can get onto a run-through programme, whether it is even realistic to try, whether I am going to be too old (33 when I finish the foundation programme with potentially eight years of higher training to go), and whether I will be working so many hours that my wife will kill me!

Please do feel free to tell me it's not realistic/too hard/going to kill me and my marriage if this is the case... I would rather hear the bad news and decide on something else than get into something I can't complete or won't enjoy.

Thank you!
Chris01

The one thing you haven't got, which is CRUCIAL, is any experience in neurosurgery. This is vital for YOU to decide if you like what you see. Also, your fellow applicants who are likely to succeed will have it. Forget this bollocks that prior experience isn't necessary. It isn't a requirement, but it is necessary to be competitive.

You are a mature final year student. You can easily set up a two week placement for to see for yourself. You can also apply for foundation jobs in neurosurgery. Failing that, you can arrange tasters (1 week placements) and do a decent audit in your own time. Your CV is otherwise good for a final year.

Forget your age. Your are young enough for it to be irrelevant. What your wife thinks is another matter

[Chris01]

Thanks to those who have replied, you have given me some food for thought. Have talked it over with the old trouble and strife and she is not totally opposed just concerned about the hours. Would be great to hear from anyone who has any insight into this...

Thanks
Chris01

[PeteG]

1 forget about your age, you're obviously a high achiever and will no doubt adapt to surgical training (I'll be 40 this year and I'm CT2 anaesthetics and loving it)
2 seriously good advice above about getting experience. You may be surprised to learn that brain surgery...well, it's not brain surgery (some of the time at least), if you know what I mean. Occasionally changing a patient's GCS from 6/15 to 7/15 is considered a job well done.
Find a friendly neurosurgical registrar and ask him/her about the training, you'll get the most up to date and most honest answer from them I think. Try the neurosurgery forum on doctors.net.
Good luck!
Pete

[Khush23]

Might be an idea just to go and spend a day in theatre observing any specialty! It may change your mind about surgery altogether! Definitely did mine..