Officer Subspecialty
SURG
Neurosurgery
An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.
Description
Neurological surgeons provide evaluation and surgical treatment of pathology affecting the cranium, spine, central and peripheral nervous systems. Many neurosurgeons seek additional sub-specialty training and focus their practice on complex spine surgery, neurooncological surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, cerebrovascular/endovascular neurosurgery, complex cranial/skull base neurosurgery, functional neurosurgery, peripheral nerve surgery, or neurocritical care/neurotrauma surgery. Neurosurgeons provide outpatient, ambulatory, and emergency care including for high-acuity, high-morbidity conditions compromising function of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Military neurosurgeons have a general adult practice with a high volume of occupational degenerative and traumatic pathology. Common surgical procedures in military practice include: spinal decompression/discectomy; spinal arthroplasty; spinal fixation/fusion; craniotomies for tumor; craniotomies for hemorrhage; surgical treatment of trauma; cerebrospinal fluid diversion; and peripheral nerve surgery.
Core Skills
- neurological diagnosis
- cranial and spinal surgery
- trauma and emergency surgery
- spinal decompression and fusion
- neurooncology procedures
- cerebrovascular surgical care
- peripheral nerve surgery
- perioperative patient management
- neurocritical care
Common Certifications
- American Board of Neurological Surgery Board Certification
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Certified Physician Executive (CPE)
- Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)
Civilian Career Paths
- EMERGENCY MEDICINE
- SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY
- CLINICAL TECHNICIAN
- REHABILITATION
Training & Development
Getting Started
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
Career Growth
- American Board of Neurological Surgery Board Certification
- Certified Physician Executive (CPE)
- Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)
Equivalent Roles in Other Branches
Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.