Whither neurosurgery?

Although trends in the marketplace demand for neurosurgeons should be of interest to neurosurgeons and prospective neurosurgeons, little data are available that accurately document these trends. A recent report published in the general medical journal Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) used the Conference Board help-wanted index to evaluate trends in physician marketplace demand. The authors of the JAMA study concluded that over the past 5 years there has been a significant fall in demand for specialist physicians. Because the discipline of neurosurgery was not included in the JAMA study, the authors of the present report attempt to evaluate the trend in the marketplace demand for neurosurgeons, using the same methodology of the JAMA study. The authors' data suggest that the conclusion of the JAMA study of steep declines in the demand for specialist physicians does not accurately reflect the job market for neurosurgeons, which in fact appears to be relatively stable. The present study attempts to document the stability of the neurosurgery market and outline the steps necessary to protect this market from existing threats.