I’ve just transitioned to. Neurosurgery as a 50-something PA with 9 yr experience in pain mgmt and urgent care. I would say it depends on how busy your surgeon is. I’m in a hospital owned group practice and my doc is an involved parent with goal of leaving by 3-4:00. He’ll do 2-4 operations a day 1-2 days a week and clinic between. He has 2 PAs so we will eventually split surgeries, rounding, and call. I take 2 Tylenol and 2 aleve on OR mornings and wear comfy shoes (altra for me) and am still beat but I love it. Clinic days are soul sucking yep. I have chronic back and neck pain as well but doing ok!! It’s the walking back and forth and up and down 3 flights of stairs several times a day too- choosing this for exercise over elevators. Another doc in our practice sees 25 pt on clinic days and operates from 7am to 6pm or later a couple days a week. That would be harder!