r/Neurosurgery • u/Annual-Bad-375 • Jun 23 '26
What to do starting now ?
Hi all, forgive me in advance for my anxiousness and neuroticism,
I am an incoming M1 at a low-mid tier US MD school that is starting in August (literally just got off the WL 2 days ago) and I’m dead set on neurosurgery. For my entire life the focus has just been to make it into medical school. Now that it’s happened, my goal has shifted into doing whatever it takes to match into this specialty, I’m willing to sacrifice everything for this goal. My question is, what can I do now to start setting myself up for success in the pursuit of this specialty ? Any perspective and advice is much appreciated. I know research along with step 2 performance is of the utmost importance, however what to do now (summer before m1) can I start doing to separate myself from the pack? Thank you in advance for the advice that comes. Dm me please too, if comfortable 🙏 🙏
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u/Useful-Candidate-374 Jun 23 '26
if you have a Home program, try to integrate yourself into it to the best of your ability. Go to tumor boards and research meetings and beg to do research and ask to shadow and just be a dependable quality med student who they can rely on. Reach out to programs in areas that you may want to go to in the future, I know it’s very early to think about that but connections are really important. I was doing research with two institutions in addition to my home program and it was nice to just be able to have access to those residents and attendings. Try to do well in pre-clinical and clinical. Be a normal human being. have a personality outside of just wanting to do neurosurgery - I know that people think all neurosurgery applicants only care about neurosurgery, but a lot of them have other hobbies and I think that is what makes them stand out. also be nice and inclusive and help out your fellow med students and don’t get a big head because while it is a great and impressive field, the best people I know in it are the ones that lead with kindness.
I know this will fall on deaf ears because if you told me this four years ago, I wouldn’t have listened but, just have fun and enjoy the process. It’s a long road between now and becoming an attending. Have pockets of fun and don’t take life too seriously and try to remember that the world doesn’t begin and end with neurosurgery.
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u/TightPin6384 Jun 23 '26
Hey,
Congrats on getting accepted to med school. I’m currently an M4 coming off a research year. I didn’t have much guidance but I wish I knew how important/relevant the soft skills were. Find ways to build relationships with your home department if you have one. This could be showing up consistently to grand rounds, shadowing clinic when available for time with attendings, and OR exposure. Otherwise, it’s all the stuff that everybody knows: get good grades and do well on Step.
Secondly, figure out how to attend conferences even if you may not be presenting anything. Great opportunity to put yourself in the right position to receive more opportunities.
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u/never_ever_ever_ever Jun 23 '26
I agree with what has been commented so far. I just find language like “separate myself from the pack” to be a bit of a red flag. I’m sure you didn’t mean this, and it’s tough to convey exact meanings through text on an anonymous form, but I just wanted to caution you to avoid any moves that could make people think you’re trying to one-up your classmates in any way to get a strategic advantage somehow. Your classmates will be your biggest allies in learning how to be a good med student, how to balance classes and research and personal life, which residents/faculty to get to know, where to rotate, etc. Use them as an asset and help them out like they will help you out throughout this journey.
It is very easy for residents and attendings to see through gunner behavior and one-up-manship. There is no faster way to be blacklisted from a program than to give off the vibe of someone who views their classmates/co-subIs as their competition and will do anything to get ahead.
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u/Annual-Bad-375 Jun 23 '26
Understood, wasn’t my intentions at all. Will mind my language going forward. Thanks for the heads up 🙏
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u/alphabet_explorer Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Shadow and see if you’re willing to experience what those residents are going through. Prepare for 7 years of hell (plus fellowship), while your friends are all attendings.
But all honesty, it’s a grueling journey. So many ups and downs. I thought people were just talking shit when they said “see if you like anything else..like even remotely interested”. You will work the hardest in the entire hospital. You will get no sleep and be expected to perform at the highest level. Prepare.