Life as a Neurosurgeon Scientist | The Neurosurgery Journey | March 2, 2023

In operating on the “Crown Jewel” of biology - the human brain - all neurosurgeons are inherently scientists. For some, like Dr. Manish Aghi, their neurosurgical career represents an elaborate integration of clinical practice and scientific investigation. This week on The Neurosurgery Journey, our student hosts - both MD/PhD students themselves - will talk with Dr. Aghi about his own path into the field beginning with his rigorous studies as an MD/PhD student at Harvard through his current work as a neurosurgical oncologist and cancer biologist. How did he figure out he wanted to become a neurosurgeon-scientist? How does he balance seeing patients and operating as a neurosurgeon with performing state-of-the-art cancer research? Does being a neurosurgeon-scientist require you to be some kind of super human? Tune into the episode to get answers to these questions and more! Every Thursday 7PM EST / 6PM CST / 4 PM PST, Aspiring neurosurgeons and featured guests sit down to discuss the ever winding journey into neurosurgery. As an evolution of Brain & Spine Group’s popular podcast, The Neurosurgery Journey provides a live, openly accessible forum for viewers like you to engage with our students as they break down the latest in professional development and research. Click here to Donate: https://www.brainandspinegroup.org/su... Your donation supports all activities of Brain & Spine Group which includes education, research, and public engagement that aims to improve brain and spine health! Brain & Spine Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are non-refundable and tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. About BSG Brain & Spine Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to improve brain and spine health. Your brain and spine are the parts of you that make you - YOU! BSG was founded in 2019 with our initial focus set on improving the education of future brain and spine physicians. As we continue to grow in size and scope, we are excited to further our impact through research and public engagement. #cancer #science #glioblastoma #scientist #BSG #brains #brainresearch #spine #spineresearch #research #brainandspinegroup #tbi #neurosurgery #nsgy #neuro #neurology #neuroscience #premed #medicine #surgeon #medschool 00:00 Introduction 02:11 Pathway to becoming a Neurosurgeon Scientist. 07:11 What should a medical student look for in a lab? 09:04 Typical day for an MD-PhD student 11:37 Are MD-PhD programs open to training a neuroscientist? 14:45 How to transition from MD-PhD to M3? 19:42 I want to do research, but I don't want to do a 4 year PhD 21:40 Obtaining Research Grants 24:57 Grants available for Neuroscientists 26:51 Advice for Neuroscientist Grants 28:45 Aligning your clinical and research interest. 30:26 Why is Neurosurgery so research-orientated? 33:38 Advice for 3rd-year medical students. 36:31 The role of research for neurosurgery applicants 38:12 Setbacks in your Neurosurgery Journey 42:26 How do you develop Neurosurgical Skills? 44:29 How do you manage life outside of Neurosurgery research? 46:37 Creating a Program for Neurosurgeon Scientists 48:06 Advice for new Neuroscientists 49:49 Don't forget to subscribe to the Neurosurgery Journey