What a Neurosurgery Resident at Vanderbilt Medical Center Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Medicine Industry
Kwadwo, a neurosurgery resident, wishes they had understood the immense workload and self-motivation required, stating "it's a lot of work," and the significant financial disparity between the hours worked and compensation, especially considering the challenges of balancing family life with such a demanding career. The rewarding nature of the job ultimately makes it worthwhile, but a more realistic understanding of its demands beforehand would have been beneficial.
Industry Realities, Hard Truths, Workplace Challenges, Overcoming Challenges, Motivational Stories
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kwadwo (Kojo) Sarpong
Resident Physician - Neurosurgery
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Emory University
Georgetown University School of Medicine, M.D.
Biology & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Medical
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The Neurosurgery residency is demanding and requires significant self-motivation.
2. The job is very rewarding, but also involves long hours and relatively low pay compared to the workload.
3. The demanding nature of the residency may be especially challenging for individuals with family responsibilities. It is important to realistically assess personal life balance before committing to the career path.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
I think it's the amount of learning that you have to do, and also to be self-motivated. It is not easy waking up every day at the same time.
As much as the job is very rewarding, you wish that people, it is real. It's a lot of work, but at the same time, it's very rewarding. It kind of pays off in terms of how rewarding the job is.
As a resident, you honestly do not get paid much, especially compared to the amount of hours you work. I wish I knew more about how demanding the job is from the get-go.
This is not necessarily about going into it as a single person. I'm talking in respect to being married and having kids and doing this at the same time. I wish I had that reality check, not to enter it, but it's been all fun and good.
Again, that was something that I wish that I knew or had delved more deeply into.
Advizer Personal Links
Instagram: @i_am_nanakojo
LinkedIn: Kwadwo Sarpong