Am I insane?

**Chris01** · 12-01-2010, 06:43 PM

Dear forum,

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

**Kinkerz** · 13-01-2010, 06:15 PM

Just a suggestion, but sticking this in the Doctors' Mess might be a good idea (though I wish most new members would place their threads in the right places so well) as more senior medical students that may be able to help you venture in there.

**Chris01** · 14-01-2010, 12:07 AM

Thanks kinkerz, will do
All the best
Chris01

**Alhazen** · 17-01-2010, 04:21 AM

Hey,

well if you think its for you then why not pursue it. ye your publications and prizes are not in neurosurgery but you show potential. plus from day 1 that you enters med skool not everyone is 100% sure on what path they will be tacking. We all change our minds as we go through various blocks. some even go through foundation years unsure.

as for you wife...maybe talk to her and see what she think!

anyways best of luck with whatever you decide.