Neurosurgery · Evidence depth: high
Functional / Neuromodulation
Ownership-sensitivity model
The 10 vectors of a physician career.
Every path is scored 0-100 across 10 critical dimensions using public-data signals, modeled assumptions, and verification prompts. Modeled estimate. Not a salary survey. See methodology.
70/100
Income ceiling
Income ceiling
Solid elective income bolstered by device consulting.
The reality
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and spinal cord stimulators provide steady, elective RVUs.
The signal
There is significant consulting upside with neuromodulation device companies.
The catch
It is not as infinitely scalable as a massive spine ASC, but it is highly reliable.
The verdict
Provides a stable, moderate-to-high base income.
75/100
Lifestyle control
Lifestyle control
Highly elective and controllable schedule.
The reality
Cases (DBS, epilepsy resections, stimulators) are almost always scheduled weeks in advance.
The signal
Offers significantly better control than any other cranial neurosurgery path.
The catch
Emergencies are rare in pure functional neurosurgery.
The verdict
An excellent choice for surgeons prioritizing a predictable family life.
40/100
Sleep / call burden
Sleep / call burden
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Ownership / facility upside
Ownership / facility upside
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Geography flexibility
Geography flexibility
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Innovation / industry adjacency
Innovation / industry adjacency
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Training opportunity cost
Training opportunity cost
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Job-market density
Job-market density
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Malpractice / litigation pressure
Malpractice / litigation pressure
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Burnout-mismatch risk
Burnout-mismatch risk
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Hand-authored modelModeled base range
$625k - $795k
Among lower academic subspecialty medians (NERVES); device adjacency helps.
Ownership upside
Moderate
Device consulting and some ASC crossover.
Modeled estimate. Not a salary survey. Hand-authored against a physician-reviewed taxonomy and ingested public data. Income scales with payer mix, ownership, and geography. See methodology.
Want the code-level view behind numbers like these? Open the RVU calculator for this specialty's procedures, CMS times, and locality-adjusted Medicare rates.
Best fit
- The Protected-Sleep Specialist. Strong income without surrendering your nights.
- The Prestige-Risk Academic. Mission and reputation first. Eyes open about the pay gap.
Poor fit
- The Location-Anchored Clinician. One city, big ambitions, and a smaller job market than it looks.
This path is described at directional confidence (Evidence depth: high). Detailed evidence cards are added as the module is validated; we will not manufacture precision before then.