How many hours do neurosurgeons work a week?

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.


How many days do neurosurgeons work a week?

In most programs, expect to work at a minimum 100 hours up to 120 hours per week. Many programs work 12 days on, 2 days off. In the 12, expect to work 6am-8pm as described above. However, the call shifts (2-3 per week) will be 6am-12pm the following day (ie 36 hour shifts 2-3 times per week).

Do neurosurgeons operate every day?

They frequently perform multiple operations in a single day. Some are straightforward and don't take very long. Others, like brain surgeries, are complex and last for hours. Successful neurosurgeons may start the day before dawn and not get home until 9:00 or 10:00 at night.


Do neurosurgeons get weekends off?

Yes we work on weekends but it depends on what is considered actual work. You could be “on call” during a weekend but may not have to go in to operate. For academic neurosurgeons, it's not uncommon to work on grants or papers in our spare time including nights and weekends.

Do neurosurgeons have time off?

Vacation Time. All residents receive four weeks of vacation each year. Residents receive four working weeks of vacation per year, seven days during clinical rotations, and five days during elective rotations.


Day in the life - Neurosurgeon on call



At what age do neurosurgeons retire?

When the data is stratified according to gender, differences are noted. For the 841 female neurosurgeons, the age of FAANS certification was 40.1 years; for males, it was 38.9 years. Female neurosurgeons transitioned to a Lifetime membership at 60.1 years old; male neurosurgeons transitioned at 64.9 years.

Does neurosurgeon have time for family?

Neurosurgery is one of the longest training programs in medicine, three to four years beyond what is typical for a family doctor. So, you may find it surprising that even this neurosurgeon always makes time for an annual visit to his family doctor. And so should you.

How long is a shift for a neurosurgeon?

The schedule is very flexible depending on which staff are on service and where the gaps are in the call-schedule. In theory I work 37.5 hours per week, though this is often higher in practice. Specific shift lengths vary depending if it is an “on-call shift” (8-12 hours) versus an outpatient clinic shift (8 hours).


Who is the youngest neurosurgeon?

Apr 15, 2020. In 2017, Ncumisa Jilata became Africa's youngest neurosurgeon at 29-years-old, after completing a five-year fellowship at the University of Pretoria located in South Africa. Dr. Jilata's medical journey began in 2003 when she was in the 11th grade.

How stressful is being a neurosurgeon?

While very fulfilling, the profession can also be very stressful and emotional. These physicians specialize in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders of the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Do neurosurgeons have a good lifestyle?

Neurosurgeons face one of the most challenging lifestyles of any specialty, even beyond residency. That's because, in addition to scheduled cases, you'll need to take neurosurgery trauma call. In medicine, we say that neurosurgeons make the most money, but don't have any time to enjoy it.


What are the disadvantages of being a neurosurgeon?

Disadvantages: Extensive training path. Long hours, call, and schedule are often inflexible. Potential personal sacrifices in terms of relationships, family, and hobbies.

Why are neurosurgeons so busy?

Neurosurgical procedures can be very demanding, requiring hours of focused attention on a very small region of the brain or spine, often using a microscope. Neurosurgeons develop the capacity to stay focused on a tiny area for many hours without distraction.

How many surgeries a neurosurgeon do in a day?

Brain surgeons typically perform forty to fifty brain surgeries and 160 to 180 spine surgeries per year. It's not unusual for them to perform fifteen brain surgeries in a week, and they often find themselves working sixty-plus hours in a single week. Neurosurgeons work long, sometimes arduous hours.


Can neurosurgeons have work life balance?

Work-work balance for a neurosurgeon refers to balancing clinical and nonclinical duties such as teaching, research, administrative work, and leadership roles. Once work-related responsibilities are balanced, work must then be carefully integrated with other aspects of life to achieve work-life balance.

What does a day in the life of a neurosurgeon look like?

During my typical day, I make rounds at the hospital, I then either go to surgery or go to my clinic where I will do consults on patients that are referred to me, for example, from other doctors or neurologists, people with either back or neck problems or brain problems. Then, I will see them and offer them options.

How many girl neurosurgeons are there?

67.9% of neurosurgeons are women and 32.1% of neurosurgeons are men.


What age are most neurosurgeons?

For the 841 female neurosurgeons, the age of FAANS certification was 40.1 years; for males, it was 38.9 years. Female neurosurgeons transitioned to a Lifetime membership at 60.1 years old; male neurosurgeons transitioned at 64.9 years.

How smart are neurosurgeons?

Findings published in the British Medical Journal suggest that neurosurgeons and aerospace engineers are equal to the general population in terms of intelligence levels.

Are neurosurgeons always on call?

But you have to want to work hard because residency is hard, but even when you go into practice, a normal work day is 10 to 12 hours a day, and there's always some night and weekend call.


How hard is it to be 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. It takes approximately 14 to 16 years to become a neurosurgeon.

Is becoming neurosurgeon tough?

It might take a long time and a lot of effort to become a neurosurgeon. Becoming a neurosurgeon takes about 16 years of higher education, including four years for a bachelor's degree, another four years for a doctorate, followed by a one-year internship in surgery, and a seven-year residency.

Can female neurosurgeons have kids?

In a recent survey of 126 women neurosurgeons and trainees, 49% of the respondents have children and 33% plan to have children.


Can neurosurgeon have kids?

As a result, having children as a neurosurgical resident appears to represent “as good a time as any.” In the past year, three members of the neurosurgical resident staff at Albany Medical Center in New York, Drs. Gooch, Paul and Riccio, have had children during their PGY-5, PGY-4 and PGY-3 years, respectively.

Do neurosurgeons work at night?

Neurosurgeon work environment

When working in hospitals, they may expect to work extensive hours, including nights, weekends and holidays. Some shifts may last up to 12 hours in which the neurosurgeon stays within the hospital to respond quickly to emergencies. Neurosurgeons often work on-call shifts as well.