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What do I do to crack the NIMHANS entrance exam for a post-graduation in neurosurgery?
NIMHANS conducts an online MCQ based entrance test for Mch/DM Neurology and MD Psychiatry. A common exam is held for all these courses, and later on, a separate merit list is published for each. You have to select your course while applying, and can’t change it later on. You can apply for all three courses or one/two of them.
Here is some information on the entrance exam:
- It is a one-hour test with 150 MCQs.
- 1 mark is awarded for each correct answer, and ¼ mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
- 90-100 questions are asked from 19 MBBS subjects. These questions are not related to CNS. With good preparation for other PGMEE, you can answer them.
- Regular one-liner guidebook questions are asked.
- 50-60 MCQs are directly/indirectly related to CNS. For these, read the neuro aspect of all major subjects- Anatomy, Physio, Medicine, Psychiatry, Surgery, Patho, Micro, Pharma, Radio, and Anaesthesia. These questions are solvable given that you prepare well in the last 10-15 days before the exam.
The entrance is overall easy. However, the number of seats is very low, so the margin of error for silly mistakes is very low.
Read all subjects before the last 10 days. Then, focus on the Neurology part in the last 10 days. By following these tips, you’ll successfully crack the NIMHANS entrance test.
Which way is better, to do an MS general surgery and then take up neurosurgery as a superspeciality, or the direct 6yrs (Mch) Neurosurgery course (offered by AIIMS and NIMHANS) after an MBBS?
I’ll be sharing with you my opinion on both.
As a 6-year MCh candidate, you’ll rotate through 10 months of general surgery. However, general surgery skills aren’t of much use in Neurosurgery, except the very basic knot-tying and suturing skills. You can also acquire those from dedicated lab practice. The other techniques followed in Neurosurgery are very different from those followed in general surgery.
Neurosurgeons generally use access surgeons (thoracic surgeons or urologists) to perform unconventional approaches to the spine. It is much safer for the patient. Also, opting for a 6-year course after MBBS means one less entrance exam.
So it isn’t very beneficial for you to take up 3 years of MS general surgery. I would recommend you choose the direct 6 year Mh Neurosurgery course at AIIMS or NIMHANS instead.
How is the life of a resident doctor pursuing neurosurgery at NIMHANS after an MBBS? Can we get a sneak peek into work hours, leisure activities, and culture at the institute?
Here is the routine of a Neurosurgery resident at NIMHANS.
The department is subdivided into 6 units, each of which is headed by an internationally acclaimed faculty member. The day of a resident starts at around 6 AM with a routine assessment of patients in all the wards under one’s respective unit for the month.
This is followed by academics which start at 8 AM. It runs for 1-1 ½ hours. During this time, the cases posted for surgery are presented by senior residents. These are then discussed among faculty members and residents to reach a decision for the optimal treatment of that case.
After this, the senior residents head to the OT complex, and junior residents present rounds to the faculty. Decisions on further treatment/discharge are made during the rounds.
Junior residents then perform ward procedures like External Ventricular Drain Insertion, Lumbar drains, Lumbar Punctures, Shunt Taps, Fontanelle Tap, Tracheostomies, etc. under supervision. This is followed by evening rounds by the faculty/ senior residents. After these, any leftover work is completed. The evening ends with a post-op call to the respective consultant, and the duty ends at 9 PM when the night duty resident takes over.
The OPD for a particular unit is held on a fixed day. It is also a casualty call day for the unit. Life as a neurosurgery resident is so busy that even having meals is like a luxury.
NIMHANS will train you to practice evidence-based medicine and keep updated with all the recent developments in your field. It is one of the best places in India to practice Neurosurgery residency.
Which is better for an MS in General Surgery: AIIMS, JIPMER or PGI?
Surgery can’t be read and understood. Also, no matter the number of simulations you run through, practicing on a human body is very different.
Now, with their limited number of beds, these institutions perform complex surgeries through protocol defining procedures. As a resident at these, you won’t perform many surgeries. Also, you’ll have a limited exposure to trivial diseases. On the flip side, you’ll witness some of the best surgeons at work, and access top notch technology. To master surgery, you’ll have to become an SR at these institutions.
But at a decent government college hospital, the volume of patients is very high. As a result, you’ll be pushed into the OT. So you’ll get good practice, under proper supervision. However, at these colleges, protocols take a back seat. You’ll have to compromise with low funding as a resident at these institutions.
I would personally recommend going for a decent government college. But you should choose according to your own preferences.
Which is better for neurosurgery, CMC Vellore or AIIMS Delhi?
To pursue a specialization as complex as Neurosurgery, AIIMS is definitely the best choice. CMC Vellore is also a leading medical institute but the brand and credibility of AIIMS are unmatched.
A few highlights of the institute that makes it worth choosing are
- AIIMS has a well-adapted system, a huge patient load, modern technology, renowned consultants, and well-equipped theaters.
- AIIMS has a well-managed patient management protocol and executes the latest techniques in its surgical practice.
- AIIMS provides an excellent cadaveric training facility with frequently conducted cadaveric courses.
- AIIMS also has animal training labs where you can expertise on your microsurgical skills.
- Delhi, the capital of India is the huh of everything. A city life, opportunities, hangout places, and coaching institutes.
- Surprisingly enough, CMC Fees are much higher than AIIMS even though the salary at AIIMS is more than double of CMC.
Again, I don’t consider CMC any less but the above points are in strong favor of AIIMS.
How is MS general surgery residency at JIPMER when compared to other top ranked colleges for surgery?
The General Surgery is one of the best departments in JIPMER. Most residents here are extremely friendly and well-educated. This department has some of the best professors. Our HOD, Dr. Kate is a gem of a person and it's an honor to know him personally. Dr. Sistla is one of the senior-most professors in the department and is the role model of many.
The first-year residents have a hectic schedule due to an overload of work. There are all kinds of surgeries in JIPMER including many trauma surgeries so the OTs are busy all day.
Overall, the Surgery department is one of the best and if you made it to MS at JIPMER, and are willing to work 24*7, during their first year, you should definitely go for it!
After doing neurosurgery in NIMHANS, do we have the opportunity to go to the U.S.A. & do any fellowships or practice there?
I fail to understand why you are considering fellowship or practice options in the USA when India has highly advanced technologies and is at par with the USA. In fact, Neurosurgery is the one and only super-specialty in India that is known to have state-of-the-art faculties and super-advanced sophisticated instruments that are at par with all developed countries.
India now has almost all subspecialties of neurosurgery that are accredited by MCI. Once you complete your neurosurgery residency at NIMHANS, you will have a plethora of opportunities to do fellowships within India itself. Admission to these fellowship programs is based solely on entrance tests followed by an interview
These are the most famous fellowships that are accredited by MCI
- Cerebrovascular & skull base neurosurgery - 1 year
- Spine surgery - 2 years
- Epilepsy and functional base neurosurgery- 2 years
- Pediatric neurosurgery - 1 year
- Neurocritical Care - 1 year
- Once Neurosurgery - 1 year
- Neuro Vascular surgery - 1 year
- Skull base surgery - 1 or 2 year
- Neurovascular intervention - 2 years
- Trauma care - 2 years
Some of the institutes offering these fellowships are AIIMS, NIMHANS, PIGMER, Tata Memorial Hospital - Mumbai, CMC Vellore, etc
Which is better for neurosurgery CMC Vellore or AIIMS Delhi?
Both CMC Vellore and AIIMS Delhi are renowned Indian medical colleges and hospitals.
AIIMS Delhi is one of the super-specialty hospitals for neurosurgery. Even though CMC Vellore is equipped with all the facilities for the neurosurgery branch, AIIMS Delhi ranks better in this regard.
If you do end up in CMC Vellore, its neurosurgery is excellent in terms of patient management protocols and care. Its post-surgery rehabilitation is world-class and stands unparalleled.
Also, choose according to your preferred location. If you wish to settle in Delhi in the future, choosing AIIMS Delhi will be a wise decision. You can also choose based on the distance of the institution from your hometown.
Whichever of the two you choose, you will have to compromise your personal life to a great extent. However, you will gain a lot of experience for your career as a medical professional.
Overall, out of the two, AIIMS Delhi has more facilities for neurosurgery and a locational advantage.
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