If you’re looking at your medical career options, you have a number of good reasons to consider surgical neurophysiology. But what does it mean to get involved in the intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) field? What are the advantages of this profession? We’ve looked at the facts, and they’re fairly compelling. Here’s our list of the top five reasons to become a surgical neurophysiologist.
#1 – Good Pay
Intraoperative neuromonitoring is a relatively new field. IONM techniques began to be used in the 1970s and have developed since then as a way to reduce risk during surgical procedures. A surgical neurophysiologist can monitor the procedure in ways that detect the possibility of nerve injury early, ensuring that patients will not suffer debilitating effects in recovery. Because of its value to patient care and its recent emergence as a vocation, a surgical neurophysiologist can expect to earn a fairly lucrative salary. Glassdoor estimates that an IONM job will earn you anywhere from $50K to $100K a year, or an average of $75-80K, depending on where you choose to work.
#2 – Work-Life Balance Opportunity
Being in the medical profession means having your time regularly absorbed by the hospital. You may have experienced this yourself or heard from friends about crazy schedules, late nights, long shifts, and extended hours on call. While there’s no guarantee than an IONM job will let you head home at 5 p.m. every night, you do have a fair opportunity to achieve a better work-life balance, depending on how many other IONM team members are staffed where you work. You will need to be flexible to attend surgeries, but if you work for an allied health care provider, for example, you can be on rotation with other surgical neurophysiologists. This gives you a better chance of having more margin in your life.
#3 – Benefits and Tuition Reimbursement
The demand for IONM professionals gives you an opportunity to work with providers who will invest in your continuing education and offer excellent benefits. Depending on the health system or allied health provider you choose to work for, you could get reimbursement for advanced education and get your licenses and certifications paid for. This is far better, of course, than having to foot the bill yourself or get a loan.
#4 – Career Development
Because IONM is an evolving field, you will learn more and get to participate in more innovative techniques as you continue your career as a surgical neurophysiologist. In fact, later on, you may want to get into IONM clinical management or another surgical specialty as a result of your experiences. As you gain more knowledge and education, you’ll have a variety of career opportunities available to you.
#5 – You Can Stand Out
Because the IONM field is smaller right now, you have an easier chance to stand out as a leader or an innovative professional. When you work with other IONM specialists, you can share your knowledge and benefit from what they learn. You can network more effectively and become more well-known in the community faster than if you were in a larger field. If you have ambitions to be a leader in your space, surgical neurophysiology gives you a lot of potential to do so faster.
Want to Get a Great Job as a Surgical Neurophysiologist?
If you’re looking for a great career in IONM, contact us as SpecialtyCare. We’re an allied health provider on the leading edge of the IONM field, employing over 1,700 surgeons and servicing over 450 hospitals nationwide. We offer excellent benefits and a competitive salary, and we can give you a better work-life balance due to our rotation schedule. We have openings across the country, in some pretty incredible cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and Seattle.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IONM
If you’d like to learn more, get in touch with us today!
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