how-to-become-a-neurosurgeon

The medical profession is among the most demanded fields. Neurologists and Neurosurgeons are highly sought-after specializations.

A career in Neurology is challenging and requires extensive academic and residential courses to become a Neurosurgeon.

If you possess the patience and ability to face challenges, we have answers to ‘How to become a Neurosurgeon in India?’, ‘What do Neurosurgeons do?’, ‘Difference between Neurologist and Neurosurgeon’ and more.

Who is a Neurosurgeon?

A Neurosurgeon is a physician specializing in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of diseases and disorders in the brain and nervous system.

They perform surgical procedures on different body parts with a primary focus on the nervous systems such as the brain, spinal cord, neck, etc to treat underlying issues. 

The brain is the most important and critical organ in the human body. There are different neurological conditions such as tumors, brain cancer, and neurological issues in spinal cords which can be treated through surgery by neurosurgeons.

They use specialized equipment and robotic devices to perform surgery given the sensitivity of the process. 

Skills Required to Become a Neurosurgeon

    • Time management

    • Problem-solving skills

    • Leadership and Interpersonal skills

    • Effective communication

    • Ability to recollect patient history 

    • Maturity and emotional intelligence

    • Compassion and empathy

    • Ability to work under pressure for long hours

    • Physical stamina 

Neurosurgery Specialities

1. Functional Neurosurgery

This surgery is generally targeted to the brain structures affecting physical impulses. Functional neurosurgery is performed to improve a patient’s living conditions by minimizing neurological ailments. 

2. Pediatric Neurosurgery

These neurosurgeries are more complex and are performed on infants and children. These are more sensitive since the nervous systems are in the stage of development. Pediatric neurosurgeries require more precision compared to adults.

3. Endovascular Neurosurgery

These surgeries involve altering blood vessels that are and may potentially cause neurological ailments. These are among the simplest surgical procedures and are minimally invasive. Specialization in Radiology is additionally required to perform these surgeries. 

4. Brain Tumor Neurosurgery

Specialized Neurosurgeons perform craniotomies and biopsies on patients to remove brain tumors. They might also administer chemotherapy medication into the patient’s central nervous system along with months of monitoring post-surgery to determine the success. 

5. Neurotrauma Surgery

Neurotrauma surgeons generally work in emergency hospitals and specialize in performing surgeries in emergency situations. Trauma surgeries are often performed on body regions that swell due to injuries with the cranium being an important part. 

6. Spinal Surgery

Spinal neurosurgeons perform surgery on the spinal structure similar to brain neurosurgeons who focus on the brain. Being the crucial part of the human body, the spinal cord connects the central nervous system to all other body parts. 

7. Peripheral Neurosurgery

Peripheral neurosurgeries focus on repairing the peripheral nervous system. These surgeries are usually performed in emergency environments. They perform surgeries on different patients having injuries from various causes. 

Roles and Responsibilities of a Neurosurgeon

    • Examine a patient’s medical history

    • Build diagnoses based on test results and examination

    • Transparently discuss the ailments, dangers, and treatments with the patient and family members

    • Perform micro surgeries

    • Guide nurses and surgeons during the operation

    • Diagnose and prescribe treatments

    • Be updated on the latest innovations and developments

    • Collaborate with other doctors and hospitals for complex and inter-system surgeries    

    • Monitor and update the progress of patients to their family

Eligibility to Become a Neurosurgeon

To be eligible to become a Neurosurgeon in India, the following neurosurgeon qualifications are required: 

    • Should have cleared the NEET entrance examination and have secured admission to an MBBS course in an Indian medical college. 

    • Must have completed MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). 

    • Should clear NEET PG entrance examination and secure seat for MD (Doctor of Medicine) or equivalent DNB course with 50% aggregate in MBBS.

    • A 3-year MS (Master of Surgery) course in General Surgery must be completed. 

    • Complete a one-year internship with a reputed hospital with a neurology specialty and complete a residency program. 

    • Complete a 3-year M.Ch program in Neurosurgery. 

    • Further specializations and certifications are available if interested. 

How to Become a Neurosurgeon In India? A Step-by-Step Guide

Here is a step-by-step guide to becoming a neurologist in India:

    1. Complete 12th standard or +2 with physics, chemistry, and biology as main subjects. 
    2. Clear the NEET entrance examination and secure admission for MBBS in an Indian Medical College.
    3. Complete 5.5 years of MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) course with 50% aggregate. 
    4. Further, clear NEET PG examination to secure admission for Post graduation course MD (Doctor of Medicine) in Neurology. 
    5. Complete a 3-year specialization course and take up an internship with hospitals having a neurology department. 
    6. After the internship, enroll in a 3-year MS (Master of Science) program in General Surgery. 
    7. Further, a 3-year M.Ch program in neurosurgery must be completed. 
    8. Complete the residency program for 6-7 years in a reputed hospital and become eligible to perform neurosurgery. 

Career Opportunities for a Neurosurgeon

There is high demand for neurosurgeons all around the world. Given the complexity and sensitive nature of the job, neurosurgeons are the among highest-paid, medical professionals. Some of the common job possibilities for Neurosurgeons are

    • Government hospitals

    • Private practice

    • Private hospitals

    • Emergency hospitals

    • Armed forces medical services

    • Specialist hospitals

Neurologist vs Neurosurgeon

Neurologist Neurosurgeon
A Neurologist is a doctor specializing in Neurology. A Neurosurgeon is a surgeon specializing in Neurosurgery.
They specialize in threatening problems related to nervous systems in a non-surgical manner. They perform surgery to solve underlying neurological conditions. 
Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome, Speech disorder, etc are treated. Brain tumors, Spinal injuries, Brain cancer, etc are treated.
MD in Neurology of MBBS is sufficient to become a Neurology MS in General Surgery and M.Ch in Neurosurgery is required to become a Neurosurgeon. 

Top Medical Schools for Neurosurgeons in India

India has medical institutions with different specialties all across the country. The top colleges for pursuing neurosurgeon education in India are:

    • King George’s Medical University, Lucknow

    • National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Science (NIMHANS), Bengaluru

    • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi

    • Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore

    • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur

    • Kasturba Medical College, Manipal

    • MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru

    • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneshwar

    • St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru

    • Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry

Salary of a Neurosurgeon

If you are wondering what is the salary of a Neurosurgeon in India, you have come to the right place. Neurosurgery is the most demanded surgical specialty in India. They are paid Rs.10,00,000 – Rs.12,00,000 per annum at entry-level in government medical institutions and hospitals. 

Neurosurgeons can also hold private practices where they charge on per surgery basis in the range of Rs. 1lakh to Rs.2 lakh per case. Depending upon the popularity and success rates of surgeries, their salary can range up to 1.5cr per annum in private hospitals. 

Pros & Cons of being a Neurosurgeon

The pros of becoming a Neurosurgeon:

    • Highly respected profession

    • Neurosurgeons get to resolve complex neurological issues.

    • Less competition due to low competition in the field.

    • Highly paid and in-demand profession

The cons of becoming a Neurosurgeon:

    • Takes up to 16 years to become a Neurosurgeon after completing 12th.

    • No fixed work hours and must be on standby for surgeries.

    • Highly stressful job

    • Unpredictable work schedule

Summary

    • Neurosurgery is the most demanded surgical specialization in medicine where surgical methods are used to diagnose and treat patients with neurological ailments in the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. 

    • To become a neurosurgeon in India, an aspirant must hold an MBBS graduation, MS in General Surgery, and M.Ch in Neurosurgery along with 5-6 years of the residency program. 

    • Neurosurgeons must be on standby for emergencies which is a lot stressful along with long and irregular work hours. 

    • Although a high-paying medical specialization, to become a Neurosurgeon, it takes at least 15 years of the academic and resident program to conduct neurosurgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it is difficult to become a neurosurgeon which requires more than a decade of academic and residency programs to be certified to perform neurosurgery. 

It is impossible to become a Neurosurgeon in 5 years. The neurosurgeon course duration is pretty long.

Without MBBS, one cannot become a Neurosurgeon.

The youngest Neurosurgeon is 27 years old.

Practicing General Physician is the easiest doctor specialty to become since it only requires only completion of an MBBS.

Neurosurgeons must sacrifice a lot in their personal life and be on standby for emergency calls.

In general, surgeons are paid the most in the medical field and Neurosurgeons are the highly-paid specialists.

To become a neurosurgeon in India, it takes at least 15 years after completing +2 or 12th standard.

Depending upon the private or public institution, the cost of becoming a neurosurgeon is Rs.30,000 – Rs.5,00,000 per year. 

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