Neurosurgery: A ‘masochistic’ path to wealth?
Key Takeaways
Today’s doctors are leveraging their platforms to spark conversations, battle misinformation, and drive positive change in health and wellness. Their influential posts are making waves—don’t miss them!
Neurosurgeon Steven C. Zielinski, MD, (also known as Dr. Z) recently posted an Instagram Reel that struck a chord with many in medicine. Eight years into postgraduate training—after grueling medical school, residency, and now a neurosurgery fellowship—he still hasn’t reached a full neurosurgeon’s salary. His message? If you’re in this field for the money, you’re in the wrong place.
For physicians, this reality isn’t surprising. Medicine is a delayed gratification game, but neurosurgery takes it to another level. While peers in finance, tech, or business are cashing in, those in highly specialized surgical fields are still working 80-hour weeks for modest pay. By the time they hit attending status, they’ve sacrificed prime earning years—yet student loans, personal obligations, and burnout loom large.
Related: "Dear patient, believe it or not, I get paid more if I make you sicker!"Dr. Z’s video serves as both a wake-up call and a reminder: Neurosurgery, like all of medicine, has to be about passion, not just financial reward. The satisfaction of saving lives, mastering an intricate craft, and pushing the boundaries of science must outweigh the years of financial sacrifice.
For those still on the path, it’s worth asking: What drives you? If your answer is anything other than the love of the field, the road ahead may feel longer than ever.
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