Running Head: A CLOSER LOOK AT NEUROLOGY
A Closer Look at Neurology: A Brief Overview of the Career
Gabriela Alonzo Villagómez
Lee High School
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Running Head: A CLOSER LOOK AT NEUROLOGY
Abstract
This paper explores the main functions of a neurologist as well as their benefits by showing how they
impact our society through their various responsibilities.
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Running Head: A CLOSER LOOK AT NEUROLOGY
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A Closer Look at Neurology
Cancer, AIDS, and even the Seasonal Influenza are recognized more by the general public than
many of the neurological disorders. Neurological disorders are responsible for some of the population’s
mortalities, even if it is as a result of the rare neurological diseases. However, neurology is not only
about diagnosing the neurological disorder or disease, it also includes treatment and prevention of
further vulnerability to the disorder; neurological disorders are a problem and neurologists must be
prepared for whatever the issue may be.
Overview
A large majority of the general population may then wonder what the difference between
neurological disorders and psychiatric disorders is. Neurological disorders involve disorders of the
nervous system which includes the brain, spinal cord, and all of the nerves that extricate from them,
thus, these disorders are more “physical” as compared to psychiatrists which treat mental illness such as
schizophrenia which is not necessarily physical as there not specific parts of the nervous system that
affect the illness completely (Mayeux, 2010). Neurologists are known as the doctors who ultimately
diagnose, treat, and help prevent neurological disorders I the nervous system. Neurologists, however,
do not perform surgeries as they are not qualified for that aspect. Neurologists are the ones who are to
examine the patient’s disorder or disease in order to diagnose it in order to speculate whether or not
surgery is necessary. Today, neurologists are able to diagnose different neurological disorders through
the use of technology, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Electroencephalogram (EEG).
Internationally, there are over 1,000 known neurologic disorders (Brain Institute: Oregon Health and
Science University, 2011) and about 50 million people are diagnosed with some type of a neurological
disorder annually. As a result, neurologist must be able to be strong when making decisions as to what
the diagnosis is and how it can be treated because if a mistake is made, the patient’s condition may
worsen if given the incorrect treatment. Also, these doctors are to work ethically as they need to follow
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their Hippocratic Oath as to aid their patients not use them as subjects to research. Neurologists should
have a mature emotional level as well as be able to be compassionate towards others as they may deal
with disorders that are possibly fatal and will have to inform the patient about this. As with any other
doctor, they are to be the support for the patient. Though these qualities may seem “obvious”,
numerous amounts of people that go into this field are not able to finish it as they are working under
pressure in order to find the correct diagnosis and deal with the fact that the neurological disorders do
not yet have a cure.
As neurologists do not currently have a cure for many of these diseases, such as Multiple
sclerosis, there is research that goes into the neurology field as well. For many of these disorders, only
false or premature claims have been found since the beginning of that specific research area (Rosner &
Ross, 2008). In addition, neurologists can become the primary health provider instead of just the
consultant to the primary health provider. However, even though all of the disorders are all in the
nervous system, the education of the doctor and how severe the condition is would affect whether or
not this occurs.
Education
The education of the neurologist is similar to that of any other doctor as they require a medical
degree. However, since this is a more specific career, there are more requirements to be met in order to
be successful as a neurologist. Education begins with a high school diploma, though there are courses
that should be taken in high school if the career has already been selected. These courses include:
biology, chemistry, physics, geometry, algebra II, pre-calculus, English, anatomy and physiology,
statistics, biomedical studies, and computers and electronics or computer science (Neurologist, 2010).
These courses should be taken in high school as it would include preparation for further studies in the
sciences and the closely affiliated technologies which are to be used upon working in the field.
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College courses or training are also required in order to be considered for any position. The
requirements are: usually a Biochemistry undergraduate degree, four year completion of medical school
with a degree as a doctor of medicine (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO), an internship for at least one
year in internal medicine or medicine and surgery, and at least three years of specialized training or
additional training in the field which depends on the neurology subspecialty (Physician, Neurologist,
2011).
Specializations
As with any other career, neurology too has a deeper specialization to it. As there are over a
thousand known neurological disorders, there are subdivisions of being a neurologist ranging from
behavioral neurology to vascular neurology.
Pediatric Neurology
Pediatric neurology is a specialization of neurology as it encompasses the nervous system and its
abnormalities in adolescents. Though it may seem less difficult to treat minors with neurological
disorders, these doctors not only are to be trained in basic neuroscience but also in pediatrics. As a
result of this, these neurologists are able to deal with treating patients who might not understand what
it is that is occurring. Pediatric neurologists are trained to treat different types of the same neurological
disorder as it may be unique in certain stages in children. For example, if a newborn experiences jerking
or small seizure like behavior, the cause may be epilepsy or simply a part of the developmental process
of the newborn. When looking at the newborn’s EEG (electroencephalogram), the diagnosis may be
difficult to become aware of as babies have more abnormal electrical activity in the brain which only
results in uncertainty as to the concrete cause of the seizures. Also, it is more complicated as some of
the seizures that newborns have are not related with any of the more common seizure arrangements
seen in the EEGs (Devinsky, 2002). Usually, as they are trained to deal with these obstacles when trying
to find a diagnosis and a treatment, there are not many people that would go into this field. In effect to
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this is the fact that there is a national shortage of pediatric neurologist as it is about 20 percent under
the need (Pediatric Neurology, 2012).
Clinical neurophysiology
This type of neurology includes diagnosing, managing, and treating the disorders in the central
nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system (PNS), and certain areas of the autonomic nervous
system (ANS) through the use of clinical and electrophysiological testing (Specialty Information:
Neurology , 2011). The central nervous system includes the brain and the spinal cord, the peripheral
nervous system encompasses all of the nerves extricating from the central nervous system for skeletal
and visceral muscle, and the autonomic nervous system includes the PNS that controls the involuntary
musculature such as the viscera (organs). Neurologists in this specific field run tests such as
Electroencephalograms (EEG) and Electromyography (EMG) in order to be able to diagnose the disorder
more clearly. These tests are able to reflect the biochemical changes in the nervous systems in order to
support the doctors as these tests are only run when there is suspicion as to the type of disorder. Also,
by clinical neurologists are able to precisely identify the abnormalities and the place of the abnormalities
in the nervous system no matter how acute the lesion may be (What is Clinical Neurophysiology?, 2013).
Other common subspecialties
Though it may seem as though there are enough neurological subspecialties to take care of the
disorders, there are more that cover different parts of the nervous system such as vascular neurology,
behavioral neurology, and neurodevelopmental disabilities. The most similar of all the neurology
subspecialties to psychology or psychiatry is behavioral neurology as it includes the diagnosis and
management of disorders that alter the patient’s behavior as Alzheimer’s disease does (Mayeux, 2010).
Vascular neurology is a more involved in the treating of vascular diseases in the nervous system, such as
hemorrhages in the brain or blood clots causing strokes. When studying neurodevelopmental disabilities
one would observe the neurology that manages conditions, such as cerebral palsy or mental retardation,
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which are chronic and affect the maturing nervous system. There are other areas in the field of
neurology which help identify new disorders and ways to treat them, though it may be difficult,
neurologists understand the benefit (Specialty Information: Neurology , 2011).
Benefits
Though it may seem as though this career is all about, neurologists have and keep the career
because they do enjoy what it that they are doing. This is can be supported with the fact that neurology
is currently a highly demanded job internationally speaking as many people do not currently follow that
path (Physician, Neurologist, 2011). People that do go into this field of study must be willing to work
long hours and experience pressure when treating the patients. However, this is paid off literally with an
average annual salary between $182,287 and $288,962 (Physician, Neurologist, 2011).
Conclusion
In order to completely understand the benefits of a neurologist, one must be willing to give up
time in order to aid others as well as to be able to work under pressure. Neurologists, though currently
on demand, as any other doctor must be willing to go through the training in order to pursue a career
with many expectations as to the research done for diagnosing and the technology used in order to
manage the treatment available. Neurology has many subspecialties, though the annual income and the
fact that it is aiding the people in need, for some, may be the only compensation that is necessary.
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References
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