Interventional Neurology + General Neurology

[Kaiv Man]

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Hi everyone,

I asked this question a while ago and also looked through previous posts but am still a little unclear. I've heard of subspeciality-trained neurologists (i.e. sleep) being able to divide their time into practicing their particular subspecialty and the remainder of the time practicing general neurology. I was wondering if this is also true for neurologists trained in INR. Can they spend lets say half of their time doing INR and the other half doing general neurology? I apologize if this seems a little naive...I'm just about to start med school so I'm still relatively new to the world of medicine. I find INR to be fascinating but am also interested in general neurology. I think being able to do both would provide for a very satisfying career in neurology. Thanks!!

 

[typhoonegator]

I know several people who are both neurointerventionalists and neuroICU attendings, however, that is the exception.

Why would your group allow you to see general neurology patients in clinic where the reimbursement is crap, when you could be spending more time doing neuroIR procedures or pre-procedure evaluations?

Additionally, unless you go to a huge hospital (and even then), you will have an enormous case-load, and your interventional time will be in high demand. There just aren't that many people who do these procedures, and the costs associated with maintaining the facility and staff of an angio suite is non-trivial. The hospital (or whoever pays your salary) is going to want to see you in that angio suite, not treating length-dependent peripheral neuropathy patients in the clinic.

Many fellowship-trained neurologists end up seeing patients outside their subspecialty, particularly in private practice (and especially when you are junior). However, neuroIR is a bit of a different animal, since the reimbursement structure and the demand is so different.

 

[Kaiv Man]

Thanks for the reply typhoonegator!

Interesting...I guess if one wants to do INR they've got to want to do it full-time. I'm trying to find a career in neuro that is a good mix between treatment and diagnostics. I thought maybe doing some INR and some general neurology would provide that. I guess that's a little too idealistic. 😳

 

[typhoonegator]

You might consider an EMG/NCS fellowship, then. As a neuromuscular specialist you can do hands-on diagnostics and treatment.

Pain is another option, although again, you make more money doing the procedures than seeing patients in consultation.

 

[NRAI2001]

You might consider an EMG/NCS fellowship, then. As a neuromuscular specialist you can do hands-on diagnostics and treatment.

Pain is another option, although again, you make more money doing the procedures than seeing patients in consultation.

What role do Neurologists have in treating pain?? Do many neurologists practice pain as a fully time pain clinic/fellowship level?

 

[typhoonegator]

You can do pain fellowship from neurology. You can do procedures from this level of training. Yes, there are many neurologists in pain medicine.

 

[NRAI2001]

You can do pain fellowship from neurology. You can do procedures from this level of training. Yes, there are many neurologists in pain medicine.

The more I learn about neurology.. The more l realize how cool of field it is. There are so many different fellowships and ways to mould the specialty to what interests you the most.