Above post is very accurate. Despite what the idiot Med students on this site like to think and tell themselves (and anyone who will listen to their foolishness), doing well academically, doing well on Step 2, and getting good letters is still the best way to get into neurosurgery. None of us attendings really care that much about how much research you have. We look to see if you’ve done a bit (just to check the box) and then we stop paying attention. In fact I would say that there is an increasing gestalt (at least at the program where I did my residency, and where I completed fellowship as well) that MD/PhDs and research-oriented students make worse clinicians and residents.
"getting good letters"
How do you get good letters without doing research? How do you get connections for a letter without working on something together? The best way to make a connection and show your abilities is to perform a job, unless I am missing something.
On ur Sub-I’s, obviously. If a LOR for a candidate comes from their research mentor, both myself and my fellow faculty members value it less than a LOR from actual neurosurgeons who can speak to your clinical performance
^^^ MS1 here, going to be MS2. Currently doing research with a NS. No home program. I hope to do sub-I at this NS's institute when the time comes, but now I feel it is good to do research. I hope to "adopt" this program by having a long-term research relationship. Is this a good plan?
Thank you so much.
Having been faculty at both big name academic institutions and smaller lesser known “privademic” programs, I would choose (and have chosen) the smaller program any day. The pay is vastly better, you as a surgeon are much more appreciated and taken care of, there’s less bureaucratic machinery, and in my experience there’s more money and resources devoted to actual operative equipment/facilities/etc. students on this site seem to be under the impression that faculty spots at big name programs are competitive…they are not. There is huge turnover among “junior faculty” at academic institutions because these are simply terrible jobs, and can’t even begin to compete with most hospital employed or private practice positions. Fresh attendings go to these big name places wide eyed and excited, and often leave within a year or two for greener pastures.
^ How is it like being an attending at a place like MGH or USCF?
Crap pay and too much politics. Worst thing is you don't even get to operate as much as other places let you do
Muh rural Alabama practice, muh good money.
