Ortho vs. Neuro (For Spine)

[Guest]

Neurosurgery is an option for those who can not match Ortho.

[Guest]

If you're serious about spine and care about having the most operative experience and be more competent at spine surgery when you enter practice, do neurosurgery. I do not think there can really be serious debate on this point given the vast gap in experience during training and not having to phone a friend if dura is opened. True, some of the best spine fellowships are ortho-led, particularly in deformity, but those programs will frequently take neurosurgery-trained folks. If you go to a place with an enfolded spine fellowship or go straight into practice, you can be done in 7 years, ortho will absolutely require a post grad fellowship, so 6 years, including one where you most likely will have to relocate.

[Guest]

(04-19-2022, 07:14 AM)Guest Wrote:

(04-19-2022, 05:20 AM)harveyrip Wrote: Why are your interested in spine pp?

Money, next question

I hope you fail

[Guest]

The shortest way to find yourself with no money is to do an Ortho residency and fellowship where you don’t get many cases and exposure then go out and can’t operate. You want to give yourself the best chance of having a successful career (20-30 years) not 1-2 years because you can’t do your job when your finished

[Guest]

I don’t think this is a particularly hard question if you want to be a good surgeon. Neurosurgery residency will be >50% spine at most places for 7 years, ortho will be a few months while you spend the rest of your time doing other ortho procedures (which it doesn’t sound like you’re interested in)

[Guest]

I don't think it should be about which specialty makes a better surgeon. Although the differences in residency training are evident and in favor of neurosurgery, some of the best spine surgeons in the world are orthopaedic surgeons.

It all depends on what you want to do in the spine. If you are interested in intradural work and tumors, neurosurgery is the answer. If you want to do degen or deformity, you can do ortho or neuro.

There is nothing in the spine that a neurosurgeon cannot do. On the other hand, as an orthopaedic surgeon you will need help when dealing with durotomies or nerve injuries, and you will not be taking care of intradural pathology or tumors (except in very few centers such as MGH where vertebral tumors are also managed by orthopaedic oncology).



It might take you longer to reach the technical skills compared to a neurosurgery resident, but you will get there.

[Guest]

Honestly, my biggest concern regarding neurosurgery are the personalities within it. I don't mind training for 7 years, however, I don't wanna be surrounded around very malignant people. I much rather be surrounded around chill people within ortho.

[Guest]

(04-20-2022, 10:50 AM)Guest Wrote: Honestly, my biggest concern regarding neurosurgery are the personalities within it. I don't mind training for 7 years, however, I don't wanna be surrounded around very malignant people. I much rather be surrounded around chill people within ortho.

Just completed the interview cycle, I'll say I was pleasantly surprised with the personalities of residents and attendings at >70% of the programs I interviewed at. It's program dependent but there are down to earth people in neurosurgery (despite how this website makes it seem).

[Guest]

70% can fake normality during an interview. 30% cant even fake an interview. Disturbing.

[Guest]

Bump. Looking to hear more peoples' thoughts on this