Guide to Applying to Neurosurgery Residency

Uncle Harvey’s Guide to Applying to Neurosurgery Residency

“The Wiki Edition”
Originally created by Stem Cell

Preface: So I’m evidently WIKI-challenged. Thus, this is coming to you as a series of regular posts. If someone can figure out how to turn this into a WIKI that can be edited / updated, that would be great - would be best if others can also add useful links. Sorry this preliminary format is a bit disjointed - seems only a limited number of links are permited in each post - violations are punished by complete post disappearance! OK, enough excuses - here it goes:

CONTENTS

Introduction
Chapter 1: Wait a second… is this even a good idea? Is neurosurgery really for me?
Chapter 2: Planning ahead – Topics for those in MS1/2, or earlier
Chapter 3: Do I even have a chance of getting into Neurosurgery?
Chapter 4: Research: How much? What type? How important is it really?
Chapter 5: Help! I just realized I want to do neurosurgery – is it too late?
Chapter 6: Being a medical student on the neurosurgery service
Chapter 7: Learning your stuff as a student: notes on available resources
Chapter 8: Away rotations: When, Where, Why, How?
Chapter 9: Letters of recommendation
Chapter 10: Preparing the application
Chapter 11: Scheduling interviews and life on the trail
Chapter 12: Interviews: what to expect, how to shine
Chapter 13: What should I be looking for in a program?
Chapter 14: Second looks
Chapter 15: Preparing the rank list, and other post-interview issues
Chapter 16: You matched – congratulations!
Chapter 17: You didn’t match – what now?
Chapter 18: Toward residency…
APPENDIX: The programs…

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Uncle Harvey’s guide to applying to neurosurgery residency! For years Uncle Harvey, (and previously NSmatch) has been a leading source of information for those interested in pursuing a career as neurosurgeons. Every day new topics are added to discussion boards as individuals share their questions, insights and comments about any number of neurosurgery-related topics. The goal of the following “guide” is to provide a collection of some of the most useful and enlightening forum discussions in an organized manner so that applicants can quickly and easily access the information they need when they need it, without having to sift through what has now become thousands of forum topics with tens of thousands of postings. Unlike a published book, this online guide is intended to be a dynamic resource. Useful discussions may be added and outdated topics removed by any registered user, with changes becoming public upon administrator approval (pending WIKI functionality). Tangents, repetition and omissions and occasional misinformation should be expected, along with generous helpings of author’s opinions. As always, please remember that postings may have been written by anyone with a computer and internet access. Enough said. On behalf of the Uncle Harvey community of neurosurgeons, residents and hopefuls who have authored the entries compiled within the threads below, I hope you find the information beneficial. If you have any comments or suggestions on how to improve this resource, please speak up!

======================================================================

CHAPTER 1: Wait a second… is this even a good idea? Is neurosurgery really for me?
Questions about neurosurgery
doubts? regrets?
comments from neurosurgery residents’ spouses…
thoughts on the 88 hour work week
how did you decide on neurosurgery?
how do you commit?
how do you know if you will be good at neurosurgery?
Read this book if you’re still undecided (or even if you’re not!)