Ivy Blog
Brain Tumor Talk Ep. 4: A Career Path to Neurosurgery
On a take-your-child-to-work day during middle school, Nasser Yaghi accompanied his uncle, an anesthesiologist, into the operating room. He was fascinated by what he saw. The precision and care the surgeon displayed were inspiring. At that moment, he knew he’d be a surgeon someday.
Nasser, now known as Dr. Yaghi, is a neurosurgical oncology fellow at the Ivy Center. He joined Brain Tumor Talk to describe the path to neurosurgery. The journey from medical school to residency to fellowship can be long and demanding. While a fellowship is not required to become a specialized surgeon, Dr. Yaghi saw the value in apprenticing with a renowned neurosurgeon and added the additional year to his training.
“Enjoy each step. Some are harder than others. Take what you can from each step, learn what you can and apply it to the next step,” he says. “That’s the best way to approach neurosurgery residency.”
In the episode, Dr. Yaghi discusses the challenges of the job, including resecting complex brain tumors and having difficult conversations with patients. He also explains how rewarding it can be to help patients battling brain cancer.
Listen in for a look at a day in the life of a neurosurgical oncologist.
In this Episode, You’ll Hear
- The difference between residency and fellowship
- The specialties within neurosurgery
- How a teaching hospital operates
- Operating on an inoperable tumor
What to listen for:
1:19: What is a fellowship?
4:45: A day in the life of a neurosurgical resident
6:52: Learning and teaching
8:04: The benefits of a teaching hospital
11:04: Why Dr. Yaghi chose neurosurgical oncology
15:02: Walking patients through the brain tumor journey
19:15: Rituals before brain surgery
20:26: Common brain surgery terms
23:30: Brain tumor treatment and clinical trials
28:00: How mentorship influences a career path
29:48: Advice to neurosurgery residents
31:30: Dr. Yaghi’s advice to his younger self
Follow Brain Tumor Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and anywhere you listen. We value your feedback – please leave us a review.