How To Become A Neurosurgeon ? Eligibility, Scope and A List Of Colleges

How To Become A Neurosurgeon? Eligibility, Scope and A List Of Colleges

You might have already heard of the term Neurology and Neurosurgeon. Some of you might also be dreaming of becoming one, but do you exactly know how to become one? No? You are at the right place. I’ll tell you everything about neurology and also about how to become a Neurosurgeon.

But, to understand the field of Neurosurgery you should first be familiar with the term neurology. Let me give you a brief idea about what neurology is all about.

What is Neurology?

The term Neurology is a combination two words, “neuro” and “logy”. Neuro means “Nerve” and logy means “study of”. So, to put it in simple terms, Neurology is the study of Nerves.

Neurology is the branch of medicine or biology which deals with the anatomy, functions and organic disorders of the nerve and nervous system.

The nervous system is a very complex and highly advanced system that simply regulates and coordinates body activities. A human body is composed of roughly (wait for it) 86,000,000,000 neurons (Good luck with counting number of zero’s there). Covering up the entire system, neurons functions as the major signaling channel in the human body.

Heavily relying upon neuroscience this field has marked its position amongst the hardest subjects in the field of medicine. Not only in medicine but also around the corners of psychiatry one can easily see the influence of neurology.

While talking about a neurosurgeon, I have seen some people who get it confused with Neurology. Before continuing further let’s first clear this up; Neurologist and Neurosurgeon are two different professions. They are not the same.

Difference between Neurologist and a Neurosurgeon

The doctor who specializes in neurology is called a neurologist. A neurologist wildly deals with the treatments related to the disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. Some of the disorders include headaches, movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, infections of the brain and peripheral nervous system, spinal cord disorders, language and speech disorders. But one thing that you have to keep in mind is that a neurologist never performs surgery.

Then who does the surgery you ask? Well, If a patient of a neurologist is in need of a surgery he can refer them to a neurosurgeon. A neurologist often works closely with neurosurgeons but never performs a surgery.

A neurosurgeon is a physician who is specialized in the diagnosis and surgical treatments of disorders in central and peripheral nervous system. Some of the abnormalities which a neurosurgeon deals with include congenital anomalies, tumors, vascular disorders infections of brain or spine etc.

Since we are now clear about what Neurology is and also about the fact that Neurosurgeon and Neurologist are not same, let’s jump onto the topic for which you are actually here, How to Become a Neurosurgeon?

How to Become a Neurosurgeon?

Shown below are the steps and qualifications to become a neurosurgeon.

1. You should have completed their higher secondary studies in physics, chemistry, and biology as major subjects
2. You should have completed MBBS (bachelor degree) of four and half years followed up by one year and 6 months of compulsory training
3. A three-year course of MS in neurosurgery is required.
4. Following MS neurosurgery a five-year course of M.ch in neurosurgery as a super specialization is required to become a neurosurgeon.

Now that the steps and qualification been mentioned an institution for perusing studies is the next requirement. Completing your studies from a renowned institution or university is always a right choice. For a great career, choosing Institutions with great recognition is more preferred. We will be talking about institutions in a while, but before that let’s cover some basic topics which you need to know before enrolling.

Now that you know what a neurosurgeon is and How to become one, let me give you a brief idea about the qualities that a neurosurgeon needs. As I said before becoming a pioneer in this field is not going to be easy but with time and efforts, nothing is impossible.

Following are some basic qualities that one should possess to become a successful Neurosurgeon.

• The ability to collect, recollect and use scientific information when necessary.
• A deeper understanding and interest in anatomy and physiology.
• Good hand and eye coordination is one quality which assures a successful surgery.
• Physical strength and mental stamina is one major quality that a surgeon should maintain during surgery
• Blend of confidence and caution along with the ability of leadership whenever necessary is one among the major requirement.

Do you think you have these qualities? Don’t worry if you don’t possess some of these qualities since they are meant to be acquired over time and practice.

Scope and Opportunities

Neurosurgery is a widely recognized field. It has already marked its spot among the toughest subjects that one can deal with during his/her medical studies. Not just in being a tough subject to study but to peruse a career takes real efforts and skills.

With hospitals and medical Institutions emerging one after other so fast, need for a Neurosurgeon is never-ending. The number of students completing Neurosurgery as a domain is less hence there is always a demand for them.

The number of patients with neurological disorders and abnormalities is at an increasing pace. With this increase, the demand for neurologists and Neurosurgeons is also increasing. A recent study shows that there are very few Neurosurgeons in our country. As said by the Neurosurgeon R Rajkumar the secretary and professor of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science, Lucknow there are only 1,500 Neurosurgeons around the country. This shows that we are in need of more Neurosurgeons.

You can always choose a career in both private and government sectors. Both private, as well as the government sector, has a high pay scale. But as we all know, having a government job is always an advantage

Salary / Pay Scale Of A Neurosurgeon

Even though it’s a hard subject to study the pay scale of the job is quite impressive. The level of skill involved in the job is one of the major reasons behind its high pay scale. Not only skillfulness but also the experience of a neurosurgeon play a major role in the salary that one gains.

Hence Salary of a neurosurgeon is simply calculated with the experience, we can roughly put it under the following statistics. The numbers though are approximate, it varies with skill sets and as I mentioned earlier, Experience matters.

If the experience is between 1 -4 years then a pay scale ranging from 5,70,000 to about 35,49,296 rupees per annum can be expected. On the other hand, if the experience is between 5-9 years then a pay scale of 14,40,000 to 28,75,000 rupees per annum can be expected. The payment also dependent on the states as well, for example, studies show that neurosurgeons in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi earn more than the other states. It doesn’t sound so bad, does it?  Even though the study is hard the pay is worth it.

After all this, you might be wondering which are the best institutions to study neurosurgery from, Well, I heard you. Here is a list of Best Neurosurgery Colleges in India.

Best Institutions for pursuing your studies as a Neurosurgeon in India.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS):

Established according to the act of parliament in the year 1956 AIIMS Stands as an autonomous institute of national importance. The main objective of the institution is to provide the students an exposure to the field of teaching.

Address: Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi-110029

Website: www.aiims.edu

Sanjay Gandhi PG Institute of Medical Sciences:

Sanjay Gandhi PG Institute of Medical Science was established in the year 1983 under the State Legislature Act.Located in Lucknow it is named after Sanjay Gandhi.

Address:Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226014

Website: www.spgi.ac.in

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS):

Aiming to establish the highest standards of evidence-based care for psychiatry and neurological disorders and rehabilitation NIMHANS stands as a pride of Bangalore.

Address: Hosur Road, Banglore-560029

Website: http://www.nimhans.kar.nic.in/

Sri Chitra Tirunal Institution for Medical Science and Technology:

SCTIMST is an institute of national importance under the department of science and technology. Situated in Kerala this place serves as a pioneer in neuroscience.

Address: Tiruvanandapuram, Kerala-695011

Madurai Medical College

Madurai medical college is a medical school attached to the Rajaji Government Hospital, Madurai. This hospital not only is famous for educational qualities but also for providing care for more than twenty million people in the southern part of Tamil Nadu.

Address: Panangal Road, Madurai-625020

Website: http://www.maduraimedicalcollage.org/

Mentioned above were top 5 institutions in India for perusing your studies in neurosurgery.  Apart from above, there are many other institutions where you can study neurosurgery.

Looks like we have covered most of the topics as promised, if you think we have missed out on anything, Let us know in the comments below and we’ll update it. If you have any doubts, let us know and we’ll do everything possible to clear them.

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