Neurosurgeons: Job Description, Education, Skills and Duties, Earnings and Outlook
Submitted by: paula
Job Overview Neurosurgeons are special physicians. They are basically medical doctors and surgeons whose expertise is concerned with the prevention, identification or diagnosis, planning fo the treatment and the rehabilitation of the patients whose disorders directly involves or related to the entire nervous system. They treat disorders both on the central and peripheral nervous system in nature to inculde the following structures: brain, spinal cord, spinal column, nerves, pituitary gland, hypothalamus to name a few. People who have brain tumors, suffered from hemorrhagic stroke and aneurysm seek consult from these physicians.
Education, Knowledge and Trainings Required
The branch of neurosurgery is one of the thoughest branch of medicine and surgery as this involves the brain that commands all the functioning of the rest of the body organs and system. Basically, 4 year education in general medicine is needed. Prior to that a pre-medical course in any of the sciences should be taken as a foundation to a medical degree. The medical course proper will provide all the basic skills needed by a general practitioner physician. A . After a successful completion of this post graduate course, a medical board examination will then follow. All physicians should be passers of this national medical board examination to be able to practice in all states of the America. A four to six years residency period in neurosurgery as well as a fellowship will then provide the specialization for this field. Included here are the advanced theoretical and practical trainings in neurology and surgery combined in one.
Skills and Abilities
The expertise of a general doctor is expected of any of the neurosurgeons. They should be able to conduct physical exams, interviews, order and interpret tests, identify disorders or disease, and plan for then conduct the medical and more importantly surgical treatment of the diagnosed disorders. Technical and mechanical skills are needed in using the different neurosurgical tools. Critical thinking is employed in every step of the medical-surgical process. Communication skills and teaching skills are needed to establish a good rapport to the clients and be able to relay knowledge and skills to the junior residents.
Duties
As neurosurgeons, they get their patients from the referrals of the general practitioners, family medicine doctors, neurologists, and internists.
Initially, they do the evaluation of the condition by way of interviews and series of physical examination and tests. Neurosurgeons may include MRI, Xray and CT and PET scan as imaging diagnostic examinations so as to identify what is abnormal or inconsistent to the normal nervous system structure and functions. After a series of analysis, they will then do the final diagnosis and prescribe an appropriate surgical treatment as applicable. They make use of the operating room with special tools and device used in neurosurgery and start troubleshooting the problems through surgical interventions. Surgeries include excision of mass, evacuation of cranial hematoma, aneurysm clipping and coiling, cranioplasty and the like. After a successful surgery, they will monitor the progress of their patient from the moment of release from the post anesthetic care unit to the period of their rehabilitation.
Earnings and Job Outlook
The earnings of a physician may vary depending on the state of practice, years of experience in the field, as well as on the number of patients being serviced in a year. A neaurosurgeon can earn around 200,000 U.S. dollars to more than 450,000 U.S. dollars in a year depending on the number of cases of their surgeries annually. The job outlook good and the demand is expected to be as fast as the average for the other professions.
Paula Hiz is a researcher and a human resource specialist who helps newly graduates, job applicants and post graduate professionals be aware of their job opportunities and available trainings for skills and practice upgrading.
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Word Count: 625 Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 Time: 6:53 PM
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