Working in service to others and being helpful to them in ways that improve the quality or duration of their lives are great privileges.As a neurosurgeon, I treat conditions such as spinal stenosis, spinal degeneration, spinal tumors, fractures and spondylolisthesis. I decided I wanted to be a neurosurgeon in the third grade, and I am thankful every day that I get to live my childhood dream.Technical skills are the keystone of any surgical specialty, but communication skills are just as important. For patients or families to make good decisions, they must be well-informed about risks, benefits and alternatives.A good surgeon must be able to explain complex ideas and uncertainty in a way that makes sense to people from all walks of life.My research includes spinal fractures, pre-hospital transport of critically ill neurosurgical patients and intra-operative navigation, which is a tool that gives surgeons real-time access to a patient’s diagnostic imaging while in the operating room.