The word “hustle” gets its roots from the Dutch word “husselen” circa the late 1600s; while the original definition was “to shake,” over time, the term evolved and hustle came to mean “push roughly” or “move quickly.” In the United States, by the early 1920s, “to hustle” carried a more negative connotation and was synonymous with “to swindle.” However, by the late 1950s, the term began to denote a job (with a source of income), leading to the term “side hustle,” indicating a secondary source of income. With the advent of the internet, the financial crisis of the late 2000s and now, the Covid pandemic, side hustles have taken on a life of their own, sometimes becoming the primary focus of one’s life.
Exploring neurosurgeons and their “side hustles” was the initial concept for the current issue of AANS Neurosurgeon. “Side hustles” turned out to be a misnomer; rather, what emerged was a series of portraits of neurosurgeons who are passionate about their interests both inside and outside the operating room. Their pursuits are varied. Some lie within, while others outside of medicine (First Female Neurosurgeon to Become Medical School Dean). They range broadly, from archery to astronomy (Nights Among a Sea of Stars). Some neurosurgeons happened upon their side hustle accidentally, others intentionally. For some, this pursuit started in pre-residency days (Where Neuroscience Meets Artistic Expression). Others impressively have developed these talents during training (Discovering Archery as a Neurosurgeon). Most of the contributors apply the same focus and effort devoted to neurosurgery to these extra-neurosurgical efforts. Concomitant pursuit of neurosurgery and these extra-neurosurgical passions informs and advances pursuit of the other.
It is clear that passion drives our colleagues to find the time and energy to pursue these interests rather than a desire for a secondary source of income.
I have my colleagues, Michael Schulder, MD, FAANS, and Deb Benzil, MD, FAANS, FACS, to thank for inviting me to the side hustle that is writing for and editing the AANS Neurosurgeon. I completed that journey that many have completed: medical school, neurosurgical residency, fellowship and, finally, a faculty position. Prior to my neurosurgical career, I was involved with both writing and editing for various publications; this interest was revived more recently after I was invited to an AANS Neurosurgeon editorial board meeting. Over the years, I have enjoyed participating in a forum in which neurosurgeons’ voices can be heard.
For these contributors, side hustles excite and challenge them; these effects benefit not only the neurosurgeon, but also others within the neurosurgeons’ orbit: friends, family, colleagues and patients.
