Neurologist
Duties and
Responsibilities:
Neurology is a medical
specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. To be specific,
neurology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of
conditions and disease involving the central and peripheral nervous system; or,
the equivalent meaning, the autonomic nervous systems and the somatic nervous
systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,
such as muscle. A neurologist is a physician specializing in neurology and
trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders. Neurologists
may also be involved in clinical research, and clinical trials, as well as
basic research and translational research. While neurology is a non-surgical
specialty, its corresponding surgical specialty is neurosurgery. Neurology,
being a branch of medicine, differs from neuroscience, which is the scientific
study of the nervous system in all of its aspects.
Salary:
$187,200 per year.
Education:

Physicians and surgeons
have demanding education and training requirements. Almost all physicians
complete at least 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school,
and, depending on their specialty, 3 to 8 years in internship and residency
programs. Medical schools are highly competitive. Most
applicants must submit transcripts, scores from the Medical College Admission
Test (MCAT), and letters of recommendation. Schools also consider an
applicant’s personality, leadership qualities, and participation in extracurricular
activities. Most schools require applicants to interview with members of the
admissions committee. A few medical schools offer combined undergraduate and medical school programs that last 6 or 7 years. Students spend most of the
first 2 years of medical school in laboratories and classrooms, taking courses
such as anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, psychology, medical ethics, and
the laws governing medicine. They also gain practical skills, learning to take
medical histories, examine patients, and diagnose illnesses. During their last
2 years, medical students work with patients under the supervision of
experienced physicians in hospitals and clinics. Through rotations in internal
medicine, family practice, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry,
and surgery, they gain experience in diagnosing and treating illnesses in a
variety of areas.