The Student Room Group
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

I'm a neurosurgeon (trainee), ask me anything!

Scroll to see replies

What should I be doing as a med student to give myself the best chance of being successful when applying to specialty training? I'm a mature GEM student, so it would be preferable to be successful first time round! :smile:
Original post by Ihatelife2
What GCSEs and A-levels did you do and what did you get in them?


GCSEs - 7A*s and 2 As. Triple science, Maths, English, English Lit, French, IT, RE
A-Levels - 3 As (only). Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Reply 22
Avatar for K8e.H
K8e.H
12
Original post by itsbrainsurgery

(6) I did quite a bit - 2 weeks of work experience, NCS, DofE gold, worked several part time jobs and was part of a regional sports team. What do you mean competitive application? For med school or neurosurgery? I now realise that I have done way too much for med school just ask @ecolier!


I just meant for medicine, seeing I am hoping to apply this October :smile:
Original post by the bear
can you tell if a brain is male or female by looking ?

:holmes:


Yes (jokes), but then I usually just need to look at the skull shape.
Original post by straightIrishguy
You're a neurosurgeon so believe me when I say that no intelligent discussion goes on in this forum -
If an EEG measured the brain signal of all the site's users and then averaged it, it would be a flat line - might be a slight bump because of me though
also how could ecolier be so mean, does he/she/it hate you? why would anyone suggest you to come onto a site that will give you a brain tumor

:lol::lol:
When I turned up for my neurosurgery work experience all the consultants were man and most registrars man,felt slightly intimidated.But Im also interested in neurosurgery and like you want to address the gender imbalance.

How many times per week are you in theatre?Did you get into surgical training the first time around or did you have to apply a couple times?Have many times per week are you on residential on-call?

Original post by itsbrainsurgery
I feel that I am helping to readdress the balance. There are actually quite a few of us, so that it is virtually 50-50 in our year at our place of training.

I do not feel intimidated at all, in fact I feel I am too well looked after!
Original post by LolForgotMyPasss
do you think applying as a graduate to undergrad programmes as last resort is viable?


Definitely. There are loads of people out there at med school who does that.
Original post by hannxm
:lol::lol:


Yeah I think he's ignoring me because of that- god forbid a patient of his ever insults him
Original post by Marathi
What should I be doing as a med student to give myself the best chance of being successful when applying to specialty training? I'm a mature GEM student, so it would be preferable to be successful first time round! :smile:


Oh I am sorry that is virtually unheard of.

My bosses say that they reject people on purpose, and see how many times they reapply to see if they are truly committed. Luckily for me it only took one more year! (don't know if it's true)
Original post by FutureMissMRCS
When I turned up for my neurosurgery work experience all the consultants were man and most registrars man,felt slightly intimidated.But Im also interested in neurosurgery and like you want to address the gender imbalance.

How many times per week are you in theatre?Did you get into surgical training the first time around or did you have to apply a couple times?Have many times per week are you on residential on-call?


I am doing orthopaedics at the moment (it's part of our rotation) and it's 3 times a week. We are always on-call (full shift), I don't think there are non-resident on calls until much later in our training. Even then you are sort of expected to be in a lot.

I got in second time round.
Original post by itsbrainsurgery
GCSEs - 7A*s and 2 As. Triple science, Maths, English, English Lit, French, IT, RE
A-Levels - 3 As (only). Biology, Chemistry and Physics.


No maths at A-level? Did you have to do any separate maths courses or something? Well done on the results btw. Any brain related hacks you know for remembering stuff? What were the 2 As in?
Sorry for bombarding you with questions
Original post by itsbrainsurgery
Oh I am sorry that is virtually unheard of.

My bosses say that they reject people on purpose, and see how many times they reapply to see if they are truly committed. Luckily for me it only took one more year! (don't know if it's true)


Ah fair enough. Most of the neurosurgeons I've spoke to/shadowed didn't get in first time, so I suppose you're right! What kind of things did you do to help your application?
Original post by straightIrishguy
Yeah I think he's ignoring me because of that- god forbid a patient of his ever insults him


Did you just assume my gender?! I did say I am a girl.

Unless you mean , in that case :rofl3:
Original post by Ihatelife2
No maths at A-level? Did you have to do any separate maths courses or something? Well done on the results btw. Any brain related hacks you know for remembering stuff? What were the 2 As in?
Sorry for bombarding you with questions


I did say, just focus on getting into med school. No one cares about what A-Level subjects you do after then.

And no, I am just motivated.

Plus I can't actually remember. I doubt many doctors actually remember their grades and scores achieved at A-Levels. After all it was > 5 years ago for me.
Original post by itsbrainsurgery
I did say, just focus on getting into med school. No one cares about what A-Level subjects you do after then.

And no, I am just motivated.

Plus I can't actually remember. I doubt many doctors actually remember their grades and scores achieved at A-Levels. After all it was > 5 years ago for me.


Motivation is a struggle
Original post by itsbrainsurgery
Did you just assume my gender?! I did say I am a girl.

Unless you mean @ecolier, in that case :rofl3:


I meant you - I apologize for that
Original post by Marathi
Ah fair enough. Most of the neurosurgeons I've spoke to/shadowed didn't get in first time, so I suppose you're right! What kind of things did you do to help your application?


Loads of things. I was president of the med school surgical society, I was the vice-president of the student union, I had 2 publications before graduation and I locum-ed a whole year in neurosurgery when I didn't get in the first time (3 more publications!)
how long does it take to become a neurosurgeon? I tried using google to get an answer but that was pretty rubbish as it kept talking about residency which we don’t have in the U.K. I definitely think that I could see neurosurgery as a future career path for me.
Original post by FutureMissMRCS
That's really cool!!How many hours per week do you work/spend in the hospital?How are you finding orthopaedics-ecolier loved it :biggrin: What did you do when you didn't get in,did you just locum or did you do something else?Did you read do no harm by Henry Marsh-trying to get ecolier to read it but he is busy!!Do you ever get upset or cry over a patient if you can't help them or for some other reason-or are you quite detatched?Do you like wearing scrubs-I personally find them really comfy and love them-but ecolier does not seem to share this view and struggles to understand my love for scrubs.


(1) Average 48 hours. I find that it's less demanding than proper neurosurgery (I did that from Aug - Feb). I like it, but not as much as did. He properly loved it - some sort of bromance with his consultant :rofl3:
(2) Yes - locum for a whole year in neurosurgery. 2 different hospitals
(3) No I didn't
(4) I do, I am quite an emotional person deep down. But I can't show it at work (or in front of my colleagues). I think I am getting more detached though, which I don't know if it's a good or bad thing
(5) No, I don't because I like wearing dresses :rofl3: Plus infection control don't like it if you wear scrubs out of theatre / wards.
Original post by Nadirahnss
how long does it take to become a neurosurgeon? I tried using google to get an answer but that was pretty rubbish as it kept talking about residency which we don’t have in the U.K. I definitely think that I could see neurosurgery as a future career path for me.


After graduation 2 years in Foundation Training, then 8 years in (neurosurgery) Specialty Training. Total of 10 years after medical school.

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you