DO YOU EVER LOOK AT SOMEONE AND WONDER, “WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR HEAD?”
What is the most complex yet fascinating thing in the universe?
While answers may differ with the person, varying from languages to DNA or even the math problem you are currently stuck on, there is one universal answer that everyone agrees on.
Now, what if we tell you that every single one of you reading this passage, (hopefully) has it?
In fact, the most complex and fascinating thing in the universe, is none other than the brain. While Inside Out didn’t exactly explain all its complex mechanisms, the basics were covered. Emotions, memories, critical thinking, personalities… that’s only a few of the millions of things the brain can do.
And who knows the brain better than a neurosurgeon?
Today, we are very lucky to have Dr Anderson Tsang, a neurosurgeon and a Clinical Assistant Professor at HKU, here with us to share his insight with students who are interested in studying medicine in the future, or perhaps still undecided.
Either way, read on, and you won’t regret it.
WHY NEUROSURGERY?
There often came a time in your life where you had to choose what you wanted to do in the future. Fortunately, for Anderson, that path had been relatively clear and straightforward.
“I have always been interested in the brain and the nervous system,” he says, “I am particularly fascinated about how the brain could control the movement of the entire body, as well as the portrayal of certain emotions.”
On the other hand, the surgical aspect of the job is pushed by his keenness to see the immediate effect surgeons have on patients.
“Let’s say there’s a patient who originally has difficulty with speaking,” he explains, “after a successful brain surgery and few weeks of recovery, they will already be speaking fluently, and one would have never guessed about his difficulty in the past. This really warms my heart.”
DAILY SCHEDULE OF A NEUROSURGEON
The daily schedule of a neurosurgeon is no doubt hectic.
Dr Tsang begins the day at around 7am and usually completes 1 to 3 surgeries per day. Since the duration of each surgery varies with its difficulty and accidents may arise any time, he leaves the hospital at different times each day. Other than that, he also attends a daily team meeting with fellow neurosurgeons to discuss their new and special cases that day.
“Occasionally, we also hold lectures for aspiring neurosurgeons and share about our experiences and skills,” he adds.
IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING PERFECTLY BALANCED
“I think the hardest part of being a neurosurgeon, or a doctor really, is always being on call due to emergencies,” Dr Tsang admits, “Also, there are usually only one or two doctors specializing in each surgical procedure, so this puts a ton of workload on us.”
While different doctors have their own ways to balance their time, Dr Tsang does this by clearly separating his working hours with his personal life, to an extent that he does not work at all when he is spending time with his family (unless there is an emergency, of course), and vice versa.
“I think the secret in good time management is flexibility.” Dr Tsang says, “There are always emergencies that have to be dealt with immediately, so doctors have to be extremely flexible with their time. For example, my team meeting ran a bit late just now, so I had to reschedule this interview.”
Dr Tsang also emphasizes the importance of helping each other in a team. “If a colleague’s emergency surgery clashes with a mandatory lecture, we will take up the job for them.”
Teamwork does make the dream work.
STEREOTYPES IN NEUROSURGERY
Like everything, there are many misconceptions about neurosurgery.
Below, we will list out two common stereotypes, and based on your understanding of neurosurgeons, try to guess whether these assumptions are true, or false.
Most neurosurgeons are male
Neurosurgeons experience less patient contact compared with other doctors
Question 1:
“This is actually true.” Dr Tsang admits. “However, over the past few years, there has been a rise of female students training to be neurosurgeons, so hopefully it will be more balanced in the future.”
Question 2:
“The second question is no doubt false,” Dr Tsang says. “We have to meet and talk with the patient to understand their hobbies and interests they value. Take a world class violinist, for example. One wrong cut and he or she may not even remember the easiest scales or tunes. We also have to do a lot of follow-up post-surgery regarding the patient’s recovery.”
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Now, some of you may ask: are there any possible internships or volunteering opportunities for students interested in neurosurgery?
Well, the answer is yes, but no.
“Previously, I’ve seen 2 to 3 students coming over the summer to do volunteer work,” Dr Tsang says, “but obviously, due to the coronavirus, it is not possible now.”
However, students should not be discouraged and are advised to keep on working hard to prepare themselves for future opportunities.
