DO in Neurology

[postbacpremed87]

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I developed an appreciation for Neurology at a young age (older sister has Dandy Walker). I remember her having shunt complications and seeing the neurological effects (fainting in my arms as a little boy). These things tend to stick with you. A family friend has MS so that furthered my interest in this field as well. I finally have a chance to do something about it! I was recently accepted into a DO program. It is my intention to take the USMLE Step 1/2 and enter an ACGME Neurology residency. I would like to do fellowship work afterwards. I know that DO's match into ACGME Neurology all of the time, but do you have any words of advice for my first few years.

I know I should probably score 225+ on Step 1. I want to do a research project/case study or two while in school to show interest in the field, especially for mid-top tier programs. In terms of LOR's, do they need to be from PD's or just from Neurologists in general? I want to do audition rotations at a few places I could see myself ending up, but those rotations seem to coincide with the start of the ERAS process so I do not know how much they would help. Perhaps I could set something up the summer before the match?

I know I need to enjoy myself before school starts, but any words of wisdom would be appreciated. I would like to have a roadmap, general idea about what to do before I start.

 

[Dharma]

Similar thread a few doors down!http://forums.studentdoctor.net/ind...irst-year-do-interested-in-neurology.1039057/

 

[NeuroAP86]

You have a long way to go. One step at time, it's good that you are thinking about it thus early but focus on your basic sciences and step exams. Don't assume that neurology will definitely be your desired specialty, keep an open mind during rotations because it could change. Just my two cents

 

[bustbones26]

I developed an appreciation for Neurology at a young age (older sister has Dandy Walker). I remember her having shunt complications and seeing the neurological effects (fainting in my arms as a little boy). These things tend to stick with you. A family friend has MS so that furthered my interest in this field as well. I finally have a chance to do something about it! I was recently accepted into a DO program. It is my intention to take the USMLE Step 1/2 and enter an ACGME Neurology residency. I would like to do fellowship work afterwards. I know that DO's match into ACGME Neurology all of the time, but do you have any words of advice for my first few years.

I know I should probably score 225+ on Step 1. I want to do a research project/case study or two while in school to show interest in the field, especially for mid-top tier programs. In terms of LOR's, do they need to be from PD's or just from Neurologists in general? I want to do audition rotations at a few places I could see myself ending up, but those rotations seem to coincide with the start of the ERAS process so I do not know how much they would help. Perhaps I could set something up the summer before the match?

I know I need to enjoy myself before school starts, but any words of wisdom would be appreciated. I would like to have a roadmap, general idea about what to do before I start.

Well, take your time and slow down. Don't burn your candle at both ends just yet.

That guy in medical school class that came in certain that he wanted to be a cardiologist was on his way to be an OB/GYN by the time MSIII year came around. Today? He's a family doctor.

The guy in my class that was certain that he was going to be the world's greatest surgeon is a pulmonologist.

The other student in my class that was supposed to be the in line for the world's greatest surgeon as well, is now a pediatrician.

This might be a shocker!! I had an anatomy professor that actually enrolled in our med school? He was the man in charge of our neuroscience curriculum and was very well educated in the area (probably did some research and PhD work in the stuff). He was a mentor for any student in my class that wanted to be a neurologist. Even though he was not a physician, he was always willing to foster any interest in the neurosciences. I thought for sure that whenever he stepped down as a professor to enroll himself into med school that he would become a neurologist. Well, today he is a family doctor??


Keep an open mind, you never know what you may or may not like. There are certainly a number of fields with overlap: Psychiatry, PM&R, Neurosurgery (of course) and even Pathology.

My only advice would be, do a neurology rotation as soon as possible to see if you really do like and could see yourself doing it for the rest of your life. I think that most of my colleagues here would agree that neurology is very fascinating, but at the end of the day, I do feel like its the Rodney Dangerfield of medicine, gets no respect.