Does this career/niche exist?

[desertcat]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I'm in my 3rd year of med school and I was wondering is it possible to be a general clinical neurologist that also does interventional pain procedures? I know neurologist can get into to pain fellowships now but does following that path pidgeon hole you into becoming exclusively a pain specialist who only sees pain patients? I'm really into neuro but I think I also would really enjoy doing the procedures that interventional pain offers, is this unrealistic?

 

[Fencer]

I'm in my 3rd year of med school and I was wondering is it possible to be a general clinical neurologist that also does interventional pain procedures? I know neurologist can get into to pain fellowships now but does following that path pidgeon hole you into becoming exclusively a pain specialist who only sees pain patients? I'm really into neuro but I think I also would really enjoy doing the procedures that interventional pain offers, is this unrealistic?

Not unrealistic, but not easy. You will have to do a 2 or 3-year pain fellowship, get through pain boards, and have your pain program director sign on the hospital privileges thing. Practice of procedures is increasingly regulated. That might be a problem, but if you like this idea, you can do it.

One of my resident-mates from 11 yrs ago, is actually doing that. However, he was an Anesthesiologist and trained in Pain fellowship, who went back to do a Neurology residency. After the Neuro, he was getting all kinds of offers to head programs (even at academic institutions).