Mountain View Regional Hospital

FREQUENTLY ASKED questions

Neurosurgery

How are Neurosurgeons Trained?
What is the Role of the Neurosurgeon?
What's New in Neurosurgery?

PATIENT education

Understanding your disease or injury is important. It allows you to discuss issues with your doctor and ask the right questions.

Brain & Spine

How Are Neurosurgeons Trained?
After four years of medical school and an internship program, the doctor enters a neurosurgical residency program of five to seven years.

While in the program, neurosurgical residents are trained in all aspects of neurosurgery, including cerebrovascular, pediatrics, spine, trauma, tumor and peripheral nerve. The resident program is long and difficult, due to the extreme complexity of the nervous system and the advanced techniques used in neurosurgical operations. Some neurosurgeons opt to do an additional fellowship in a particular area of study following their residency.

Following residency training and two years in practice, the neurological surgeon may take the American Board of Neurological Surgery examination—a thorough assessment of the neurosurgeon's skill, judgment and depth of knowledge. The successful completion of this examination will result in board certification.

While the neurological surgeon has a comprehensive knowledge after medical school and residency training, there are continual changes in this specialty that require ongoing study throughout the neurological surgeon's professional career. Monthly scientific journals, annual meetings, specialized symposia and other educational opportunities help the neurosurgeon keep pace with rapid changes and developments in neurosurgery.

What is the Role of the Neurosurgeon?
Neurosurgeons provide the operative and non-operative management (i.e.: prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, critical care and rehabilitation) of neurological disorders. Because neurosurgeons have extensive training in the diagnosis of all neurological diseases, emergency room doctors, neurologists, internists, family practitioners and osteopaths often call upon them for consultations.

What's New in Neurosurgery?
Neurosurgeons have been leaders in the incorporation of new technologies into the diagnosis, evaluation and surgical and non-surgical treatment of patients. Although neurosurgery is by nature a surgical field, many patients suffering from neurological illnesses are undergoing non-surgical or minimally invasive treatments. To that end, the explosion of less invasive surgical equipment and techniques, such as microscopes, lasers and focused radiation, as well as cutting-edge medical tools such as stents, shunts and radiosurgery, are changing the way some neurological disorders are treated. These medical advancements have positioned neurosurgeons on the cutting-edge of technology, enhancing the neurosurgeon’s ability to care for patients and making surgery easier on the patient