How Much Do Neurosurgeons Learn About Adult ADHD?
A question on Reddit leads me to rethink medical education.
Does the typical neurosurgeon have an informed opinion on adult ADHD? We’re about to find out. In the process, we’ll learn something about medical education.
A poster on Reddit recently complained about his neurosurgeon telling him he didn’t need ADHD treatment with medication. As a public service, I’m writing this article to let you know exactly how much a typical neurosurgeon’s training includes the management of ADHD, particularly in adults.
The r/ADHD post was this:
We assume neurosurgeons are brilliant. So do they (I just love this sketch):
Neurosurgery might as well be medicine’s answer to the question: “What if medicine was a monastic order?” They need to be exceptional at cutting into brains safely. The training reflects this. There is little room for practical experience working in child psychiatry—where the most ADHD management takes place. What follows is the story of how medical training functions to both enable expert care and limit general experience.