How old are neurosurgeons when they retire?
The most common age range for planned retirement was 65 to 69 years (36%) followed by after 70 years (33%).
According to data from the American Medical Association, many surgeons continue to practice beyond the “standard” retirement age of 65. As the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age, it is anticipated that an increasing number of these surgeons will continue to practice as well.
| Neurosurgeon Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 79% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Age (mean 28.8 years), ethnicity, and number of residents per program (mean 13 residents per program) were unchanged. There were 16 new ACGME NSR programs, with currently 115 programs nationwide. The number of applicants per year (324 applicants per year) and the matching rate (mean 64%) remained stable.
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.
Salary Ranges for Physician Neurosurgeons
The salaries of Physician Neurosurgeons in the US range from $665,708 to $954,307 , with a median salary of $760,000 . The middle 50% of Physician Neurosurgeons makes between $760,000 and $816,563, with the top 83% making $954,307.
It is generally agreed that the deterioration of purely physical skills begins near the end of the third decade of life (around age 28). Cognitive skills diminish later. Yet it is widely agreed that most surgeons reach their peak of overall performance around the second half of the fifth decade (45–50 years of age).
While older physicians may be physically frail, they generally have a wealth of knowledge and years of experience that hospitals would be loath to lose. "It's probably a small percentage of surgeons in their 70s who have trouble," Katlic said.
Surgeons say they may retire early because of back and other work-related injuries, news that is not good as the country already faces a physician shortage. Fewer surgeons could lead to a shortage of experienced physicians and longer wait times for patients.
Neurosurgeons often have exciting, fast-paced careers and easily earn well over $200,000 per year. They treat patients for a variety of nervous system issues while earning a salary that aligns with their location and experience level.
Do neurosurgeons make 6 figures?
Neurosurgeon salaries typically range between $188,000 and $709,000 a year. The average hourly rate for neurosurgeons is $175.68 per hour. Location, education, and experience impacts how much a neurosurgeon can expect to make.
Neurosurgeons work long, sometimes arduous hours. 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.
There's no “easy” field of surgery, and every surgeon must be dedicated to their craft. However, neurosurgery is considered one of the most challenging fields, as the risks involved are much higher than general surgery.
Sleep depends largely on whether or not I'm on call. On call days, I can get anywhere from no sleep to about 4 hours, though the sleep I do get is rarely uninterrupted. On post-call days, I typically try to sleep for at least 4 hours during the day and wake up so that I can enjoy at least part of the afternoon/evening.
Microsurgery for arteriovenous malformations
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are the most concerning and complex.
Neurosurgeons tend to be predominantly investigative individuals, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts. They also tend to be realistic, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project.
- Extensive training. While the depth of education required for this role may be interesting to some, the amount of time it takes to become a neurosurgeon can also be lengthy. ...
- Work-life balance. ...
- Long hours. ...
- Stress at work.
Neurosurgery. Median debt: $187,500. Share of graduates with debt: 65.9 percent. Share with debt of $200,000 or more: Not reported.
The two states with the highest median salaries are North Dakota and Minnesota, with North Dakota being the best state for Neurosurgeons. With a median pay of $224,428, North Dakota has the highest median pay for Neurosurgeons out of all 50 states.
Forbes' 35th annual list of the world's richest people in 2021 includes Gary Michelson, MD, a retired spine surgeon with a net worth of $1.7 billion.
What is the hardest surgeon to be?
- Plastic Surgery.
- ENT.
- Dermatology.
- Orthopedic Surgery.
- Neurosurgery.
- Thoracic Surgery.
- Urology.
- Vascular Surgery.
Neurosurgeons can directly touch, alter, and enhance the central nervous system. Though it has one of the most difficult lifestyles, as one might be summoned into a hospital at the last minute to save someone's life, it is an intellectually stimulating and fascinating field with an exciting career.
Neurosurgeons have one of the most competitive and longest residencies.
Older surgeons, to their credit, have accumulated a breadth of clinical experiences over the years and are less likely to get trapped in no-win surgical situations.
Dr. Howard Tucker has been practicing medicine since 1947. Photo: Austin Tucker for “What's Next?”
The average age of a surgeon, at the time of appointment to a definite position in a hospital, is 36.8 (age range 30–45). There appears to be an enormous variation in the length of training and the time spent before applying for a definitive hospital position.
Most physicians don't come close to having $10 million when they retire, no matter how much money they make. Some doctors retire with different net worths ranging from $1 million to $5+ million. Again, it depends on your goals, when and how much you save, and how you invest your money.
The traditional retirement age is 65. However, every individual can choose their retirement age based on their own needs and financial stability level. Some specialties that tend to have the oldest physicians are: Pulmonology.
High-pressure work
Conducting invasive procedures such as brain or heart surgery can be stressful, as it involves a measure of risk. It's important a surgeon can stay calm under pressure and perform surgery with no errors to ensure the health and well-being of patients.
This is due to many factors, some of which include extremely high salaries, helping people, and diversity of working environments. Since their job is of such importance, it is no wonder that most neurosurgeons experience very high levels of job satisfaction and fulfillment.
Is neurosurgeon hard?
The education and training to become a neurosurgeon is rigorous and extensive and includes the completion of: Four years of pre-medical education at a college or university. Four years of medical school resulting in an M.D. or D.O. degree.
| Percentile | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Neurosurgeon Salary | $390,889 | Los Angeles,CA |
| 25th Percentile Neurosurgeon Salary | $557,501 | Los Angeles,CA |
| 50th Percentile Neurosurgeon Salary | $740,501 | Los Angeles,CA |
| 75th Percentile Neurosurgeon Salary | $937,001 | Los Angeles,CA |
Depends on which MARKET you live in, what PHYSICIAN GROUP you join and where you get boarded. You're obviously not going to make as much in rural Kansas as in NYC, as your market is significantly less. A recently boarded neurosurgeon in an “NFL City” market can make about $500k to $1 million per year.
Neurosurgeons are the highest paid physician specialists, earning an average of $788,313 annually, according to Doximity's "2023 Physician Compensation Report."
One of the reasons why neurosurgeons earn some of the highest salaries in the medical field is because they're required to spend much of their younger years in medical school. Needless to say, these extra years of study at a medical college come with a price tag.
While there are 5,700 hospitals in the United States, there are only 3,500 board-certified neurosurgeons. Dr. Kalia says explains, “To become a neurosurgeon you first need four years of college, followed by four years of medical school, then a 7-year residency, plus a subspecialty training for 1 to 2 years.
The ABNS is aware that many neurological surgeons take time off or work reduced schedules at some juncture during their first few years of practice for legitimate family reasons, such as in connection with the birth or adoption of a child, to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition, or when ...
Daily Tasks
The day of a neurosurgeon starts early, frequently between 5:30 and 7 am. The neurosurgeon's primary daily responsibility is to perform surgery to resolve problems with the nervous system, but there are a number of other tasks that must also be done.
Attrition from general surgery residency is high with a national rate of 20%. We evaluated potential associations between financial considerations and attrition. National prospective cohort study of categorical general surgery trainees.
Craniectomy
A craniectomy is a complex surgical procedure that involves removing a portion of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain. The life-saving procedure is typically performed on those with severe brain injuries with swelling and bleeding so severe that it could lead to brain compression and death.
What is the hardest doctor residency?
Orthopedic surgery is one of the hardest medical residencies to match. It offers highly advanced career opportunities and salary prospects. It takes five years to complete the orthopedic neurosurgery residency training program.
A surgeon's shift may be anywhere from 12 to 28 hours long. In emergency situations or public health crises, their shifts may be longer. To make up for their long shifts, surgeons often work less than six days a week, with an average weekly schedule of four days.
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.
Neurosurgeons work over 70 hours per week.
However, over 70 hours is more the norm. This is because there are fewer neurosurgeons than general surgeons in the medical field. Being specialized in neurosurgery demands that neurosurgeons be ready to work more hours than the average surgeon.
| Rank | Hospital | Department |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell | Neurosurgery Services |
| 2 | Mayo Clinic - Rochester | Neurology and Neurosurgery |
| 3 | National Hospital For Neurology and Neurosurgery - Queen Square | |
| 4 | Massachusetts General Hospital | Department of Neurosurgery |
- Aster Hospitals in India.
- Artemis Hospital.
- KD Hospital.
- Apollo Indraprastha Hospital.
- BLK Hospital.
- W Pratiksha Hospital.
- Fortis Healthcare.
The highest density was in Japan where 7,495 neurosurgeons cared for a population of approximately 127 million people.
- Must have passed 12th or equivalent examination with a minimum of 50% from a recognised board.
- Must have cleared the NEET UG Medical entrance exam with the minimum cutoff.
- Minimum age of 17 years and maximum of 25 years while appearing for NEET.
The Neurosurgery Residency Program at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is a seven-year program that includes the intern (PGY-1) year. The intern year includes neurosurgery as well as other surgical specialty rotations.
Regardless of your situation, having a kid during residency is possible; it is just a matter of going with the flow and surrounding yourself with supportive people.
How many neurosurgeons graduate each year?
Each year there are approximately 170 new training positions open and 160 residents who graduate.
The education and training to become a neurosurgeon is rigorous and extensive and includes the completion of: Four years of pre-medical education at a college or university. Four years of medical school resulting in an M.D. or D.O. degree.
One of the reasons why neurosurgeons earn some of the highest salaries in the medical field is because they're required to spend much of their younger years in medical school. Needless to say, these extra years of study at a medical college come with a price tag.
How Much Do Neurosurgery Resident Jobs Pay per Year? $30,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $39,000 is the 75th percentile.
With 6-7 years of total residency required, neurological surgery residencies are among the longest residencies. The complexity and sensitivity of neurological surgery demands extensive training for mastery, and the amount and structure of PGY varies between residency programs.
Microsurgery for arteriovenous malformations
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are the most concerning and complex.
Although there is no formal requirement for a college major, most successful medical school applicants earn a degree in one of the life sciences, chemistry, physics or mathematics. Because medical school admissions are competitive, you need to achieve a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.6 or higher.
Our research found that North Dakota is the best state for neurosurgeons, while North Dakota and Minnesota are ranked highest in terms of median salary. North Dakota has a median salary of $224,428 and North Dakota has the highest median salary among all 50 states for neurosurgeons.
According to Physicians Thrive and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, two main reasons for the shortage of neurosurgeons in the U.S. are demographics and subspecialization. Specifically, the U.S. population is projected to grow by 10% by 2032, and the population is aging.
