Neurosurgeon and Orthodontist Decisions are daunting. Not just the daily choices, like ‘What am I going to wear?’ and ‘Should we go out to dinner?’. I mean the sinister, monumental, life-changing decisions that are right around the corner. ‘Should I go back to college?’, ‘Quit my job?’ and ‘What should I be for the rest of my life?’ This decision is impossibly frightening to high schoolers. This is when students decide what they want to contribute to the world during their 90 short years to live. The right career should be perfect for each individual, matching their personality and interests. How can one pick a profession for the rest of their life, especially as a teenager? It isn’t easy -- interests change and goals change. At first, children …show more content…
Neurosurgeons examine, diagnose, and surgically treat disorders of the nervous system (Ridner and Wilson). To put it simply, neurosurgeons study and perform surgery on the brain. Not only do neurosurgeons operate on a patient’s brain, but also study, diagnose, and treat disorders on the spinal cord and other nerves to treat injuries and diseases. Orthodontists, on the other hand, examine and treat patients with teeth and jaw problems. An orthodontist oversees a patient's treatment which could include braces, expanders, and retainers. “[Orthodontists] also provide cost estimates, instruct patients on proper dental health care, and adjust appliances as the treatment progresses” (Tolia and Torres). Orthodontists generally choose their own work hours, days to work, and when their practice opens and closes daily. Neurosurgeons, on the other hand, are called in all hours of the day -- a day starting at 6 in the morning could go as late as 9 at night (Thompson). This is due to hospital emergencies, therefore a neurosurgeon's schedule is never set in stone. Both careers can work in a private practice or a hospital, although neurosurgeons usually work in a hospital while an orthodontist generally owns his/her private office. Overall, I would rather work inside a hospital as a neurosurgeon as the duties would suit my personality more versus an orthodontist, although the …show more content…
Neurosurgeons are required to complete four years of undergraduate school as well as four years in medical school. Afterwards, neurosurgeons take 6 to 7 years of neurosurgical residency training (Ridner and Wilson). The first year, also known as the postgraduate year one, is when students learn about clinical neurology and basic care. The next six years consist of at least 42 months of training of clinical neurosurgery (Ridner ad Wilson). An undergraduate school degree is also required to become an orthodontist, as well as dentistry school and residential practice. Finishing a specialty program in orthodontics is the final stage of education (Tolia and Torres). After years of education, a new doctor can acquire a job and slowly begin to climb the career ladder. Although both careers require many years of schooling, I feel that they are worth the amount of work to help and save