Deep Brain Stimulation Neurosurg Lifestyle

[misformichigan]

So ever since I was in biomedgrad engin grad school and went to a lecture by a neurosurgeon doing DBS I was super intrigued by this technology and went on to do several large grad projects on DBS (mostly mathematical models and reviewing theories of how it works). I was recently accepted into med school for this fall and I know its too early to be convinced of what specialty ill go into, but I'm looking around and I'm curious: What kind of lifestyle does a neurosurgeon who does DBS procedures live?

I have read all about how neurosurgeons regularly do 90-100 hour weeks with some that stretched up to 120 hours (which terrifies my girlfriend more than me). But I also am under the impression neurosurgeons somewhats specialize within neurosurgery. So at a hospital with multiple NSurgeons, one may be great at spine work while another is an expert at tumor removal (please educate me if I'm wrong about this). Since DBS work seems to me to be a less urgent operation than most of the surgeries that neurosurgeons perform would the lifestyle (and salary) of these specialists be different than the lifestyles seen by other neursurgeons?

Thanks.

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[Chakrabs]

Having an exclusively DBS-based practice is extremely rare, there are maybe 5-10 purely DBS surgeons in the entire country if even that many. The vast majority of the time, most subspecialized neurosurgeons will be doing some smattering of spine/tumors and will have to take some form of call. And don't forget, your training will be 7-9 years long of putting in those long days. Also, DBS currently has poorer reimbursement when compared to other neurosurgical subspecialties, so there's that to consider as well. In the end, if you want to do DBS for a living, go for it. But understand that if you want to do any form of neurosurgery you'll have to put in long hours and lots of sacrifice to do so - often lifelong.

 

[misformichigan]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know the feild was so small, but maybe that explains the lack of responses. This is exactly what I wanted tto know though - sounds like if I'm interested in it its just part of what I'd be doing if I ended up going the neurosurgery route. Thanks again!

 

[Jambo1]

I think its impossible(or next to) to have an exclusively DBS practice. Some of the DBS surgeons I have met do mostly (70%) DBS, but even with the research and fundraising they do for the movement disorders clinic, they still have to do some GBMs, meningiomas, lami's to pay the bills and justify their salary. That's just the way it is.

 

[nowonder]

I'm working with a surgeon this summer that specializes in DBS. we're not a huge hospital, but she does maybe one implantation a week - though we're trying to build into a center. She does manage to do about 50% of her procedures in stereotactic or spinal pain, but there is plenty of tumor and trauma to be done.

That said, with trials of DBS looking at many other conditions it should be possible in the future to do more, but I would doubt many NS would be able to do it exclusively.