How to verify your neurosurgeon's qualifications

In South Africa, a qualified neurosurgeon holds specialist registration with the HPCSA in the category "Neurosurgery". You can verify this at hpcsa.co.za by searching the practitioner's name. If they are not on that register, they are not a neurosurgeon.

Specialist qualification requires an MBChB (medical degree), followed by internship, community service, and then six years of neurosurgical training culminating in the FC Neurosurg (SA) or MMed exam.

Additional fellowships in sub-specialties — vascular, skull base, spine, paediatric — are done after specialist qualification, either locally or abroad, and are a useful marker of extra depth in that area.

Membership of professional societies such as the Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (SNSA) or the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) indicates ongoing engagement with the profession.

Hospital appointments matter too — operating in an accredited private hospital means the surgeon has been credentialed by that hospital's medical advisory committee. Do not hesitate to ask about any of this. A good surgeon will be pleased that you did.