What does a neurosurgeon do?

Q: What does a neurosurgeon do on a daily basis?

On a daily basis, neurosurgeons diagnose and treat conditions of the brain, spine, and nervous system through surgical and non-surgical methods. They perform a variety of tasks, including: Reviewing patient health history and conducting physical examinations Ordering diagnostic tests such as MRIs, CT scans, and EEGs Interpreting the results of these tests to determine the most effective treatment plan Performing surgeries to treat conditions such as tumors, strokes, aneurysms, or spinal disorders Coordinating with other healthcare professionals for pre-and post-operative care Educating patients and their families about treatment plans and recovery processes

Q: How hard is it to become a neurosurgeon?

It is extremely hard to become a neurosurgeon. Becoming a neurosurgeon takes over a decade, and the journey involves multiple medical degrees, years of intense study, and very difficult medical exams.

Q: How many hours a week do neurosurgeons work?

Neurosurgeons work over 70 hours per week. Some can keep weekly schedules of 45 to 60 hours. However, over 70 hours is more the norm. This is because there are fewer neurosurgeons than general surgeons in the medical field. Being specialized in neurosurgery demands that neurosurgeons be ready to work more hours than the average surgeon.

Q: How many hours do neurosurgeons work?

Neurosurgeons work over 70 hours per week. Some can keep weekly schedules of 45 to 60 hours; however, over 70 hours is more the norm. This is because there are fewer neurosurgeons than general surgeons in the medical field.

Q: What degree do you need to be a neurosurgeon?

You need a Doctor of Medicine degree to be a neurosurgeon. The first step to becoming a neurosurgeon is obtaining a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. You might consider a pre-med or related major such as biology or chemistry. You will then need to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Q: What is a typical day for a neurosurgeon?

A typical day for a neurosurgeon involves a mix of patient care, surgical procedures, and administrative duties, as well as research and teaching. The specifics of a neurosurgeon's day, however, can vary depending on their specialty area, the size and location of their practice, and other factors. For example, a neurosurgeon who works in a large academic medical center may spend more time on research and teaching activities than one who works in a private practice setting.

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Mark Prendergast Ph.D.

A Neurosurgeon is responsible for diagnosing conditions related to the nervous system, determining treatment plans, and administering medications. Neurosurgeons perform surgeries and conduct further laboratory tests to track their progress and adjust treatment plans as needed. They also discuss the medical procedures and processes with the patients and advise them about the treatments. A Neurosurgeon must have excellent communication and organizational skills, pervasive knowledge of the medical expertise to help patients with accurate recovery plans and development.

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Neurosurgeon responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real neurosurgeon resumes:

Manage all incoming medical records requests (ensuring office is within HIPPA guidelines).
Evaluate and treat surgical and non-surgical patients.
Maintain cleanliness of examination and injection rooms between patients.
Cooperate with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance providers to resolve billing
Cooperate with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance providers to resolve billing

Neurosurgeon skills and personality traits

We calculated that 37% of Neurosurgeons are proficient in Patients, Patient Care, and CME. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Dexterity, and Physical stamina.

We break down the percentage of Neurosurgeons that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Patients, 37%
Evaluated and treated surgical and non-surgical patients.
Patient Care, 17%
Advance patient care by continuously expanding core knowledge associated with surgical and technical procedures.
CME, 11%
Trained at Montefiore and maintain quality CME updates.
Medical Care, 9%
Exhibited expert knowledge of policies, procedures, and policies standards and laws regarding the delivery of medical care.
Neurosurgical, 8%
Record patient information such as allergies, personal information, past medical information, etcBrain and Spine Neurosurgical Institute- Surgical Coordinator
Epic, 6%
Documented evaluations, patient progress, and discharges on Computerized Documentation program, Epic software.

Common skills that a neurosurgeon uses to do their job include "patients," "patient care," and "cme." You can find details on the most important neurosurgeon responsibilities below.

Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a neurosurgeon to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what neurosurgeons do because "physicians and surgeons need to be excellent communicators." Additionally, a neurosurgeon resume shows how neurosurgeons use communication skills: "provide great communication with patients and co-workers. "

Dexterity. Another essential skill to perform neurosurgeon duties is dexterity. Neurosurgeons responsibilities require that "physicians and surgeons may work with very precise and sometimes sharp tools, and mistakes can have serious consequences." Neurosurgeons also use dexterity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "gained invaluable knowledge of the medical industry and patient care; developed diagnostic and problem-solving skills through hands-on clinical experience. "

Physical stamina. neurosurgeons are also known for physical stamina, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to neurosurgeon responsibilities, because "physicians and surgeons should be comfortable lifting or turning disabled patients, or performing other physical tasks." A neurosurgeon resume example shows how physical stamina is used in the workplace: "assisted physician with initial patient histories and physicals as well as follow-up patient care. "

Problem-solving skills. neurosurgeon responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "physicians and surgeons need to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments." This resume example shows what neurosurgeons do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "resolved staff disputes and assisted patients with concerns and questions. "

Compassion. Another common skill required for neurosurgeon responsibilities is "compassion." This skill comes up in the duties of neurosurgeons all the time, as "patients who are sick or injured may be in extreme pain or distress." An excerpt from a real neurosurgeon resume shows how this skill is central to what a neurosurgeon does: "provided and directed patient care in an appropriate and compassionate manner. "

Detail oriented. While "detail oriented" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to neurosurgeon responsibilities. Much of what a neurosurgeon does relies on this skill, seeing as "patients must receive appropriate treatment and medications." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of neurosurgeons: "trusted to open and close office inventoried, ordered and maintained office supplies oriented new hires to office procedures and policies"

All neurosurgeon skills

The three companies that hire the most neurosurgeons are:

The Medicus Firm
47 neurosurgeons jobs
HealthTrust12 neurosurgeons jobs
University of Wisconsin System4 neurosurgeons jobs

Compare different neurosurgeons

Neurosurgeon vs. Eye physician

Orthopaedic surgeons are healthcare professionals who are responsible for treating pain related to the musculoskeletal system of the body. These licensed medical experts are required to examine, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries related to the musculoskeletal system such as dislocated joints, back pain, and arthritis. They can recommend surgery or non-surgical treatment to their patients after assessing their health condition. Orthopaedic surgeons must also collaborate with other health care providers, such as physical therapists to help understand the patients' medical problems.

The annual salary of eye physicians is $77,241 lower than the average salary of neurosurgeons.Even though neurosurgeons and eye physicians are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require patient care, patient charts, and exam rooms in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between neurosurgeons and eye physician. For instance, neurosurgeon responsibilities require skills such as "patients," "cme," "medical care," and "neurosurgical." Whereas a eye physician is skilled in "eye drops," "patient appointments," "field testing," and "consent forms." This is part of what separates the two careers.

On average, eye physicians reach similar levels of education than neurosurgeons. Eye physicians are 3.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 22.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Neurosurgeon vs. Surgeon's assistant

Surgeon's assistant positions earn higher pay than neurosurgeon roles. They earn a $2,546 higher salary than neurosurgeons per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Neurosurgeons and surgeon's assistants both require similar skills like "patients," "cme," and "epic" to carry out their responsibilities.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real neurosurgeon resumes. While neurosurgeon responsibilities can utilize skills like "patient care," "medical care," "neurosurgical," and "icu," surgeon's assistants use skills like "ortho," "emr," "general surgery," and "direct patient care."

Surgeon's assistants earn a higher average salary than neurosurgeons. But surgeon's assistants earn the highest pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $199,491. Additionally, neurosurgeons earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $214,310 annually.In general, surgeon's assistants achieve lower levels of education than neurosurgeons. They're 7.8% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 22.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for neurosurgeons in the next 3-5 years?

Dr. Mark Prendergast Ph.D.

University Research Professor, Director, Neuroscience B.S. Degree Program, University of Kentucky

Neuroimaging and direct brain stimulation are emerging as tremendously valuable tools to understand how the brain and behavior interact.

Neurosurgeon vs. Foot and ankle surgeon

On average, foot and ankle surgeons earn higher salaries than neurosurgeons, with a $75,361 difference per year.neurosurgeons and foot and ankle surgeons both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "patient care," "cme," and "surgical procedures," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from neurosurgeon resumes include skills like "patients," "medical care," "neurosurgical," and "icu," whereas a foot and ankle surgeon is more likely to list skills in "private practice," "emr," "physical therapy," and "hospital surgery. "

Most foot and ankle surgeons achieve a lower degree level compared to neurosurgeons. For example, they're 8.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Neurosurgeon vs. Orthopaedic surgeon

Orthopaedic surgeons typically earn lower pay than neurosurgeons. On average, orthopaedic surgeons earn a $131,891 lower salary per year.While both neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like patients, patient care, and mri, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A neurosurgeon uses "cme," "medical care," "neurosurgical," and "icu." Orthopaedic surgeons are more likely to have duties that require skills in "emr," "arthroscopy," "dme," and "practice management. "In general, orthopaedic surgeons earn the most working in the health care industry, with an average salary of $174,293. The highest-paying industry for a neurosurgeon is the health care industry.The average resume of orthopaedic surgeons showed that they earn lower levels of education compared to neurosurgeons. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 7.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 8.3%.

Types of neurosurgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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