Is the Neuro Forum Dead?

[Hard24Get]

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How come we don't have as many lively conversations here as in other field forums? Is no one really interested in Neuro, or are you guys not a talkative bunch? Because if it's the latter I might not fit in...

In conclusion, I demand an interesting conversation about how cool Neuro is and the future of the field, etc, etc, etc. Doesn't it seem like it is becoming more like Cardiology in terms of growing procedures?

Also, look at this chart I stole and tell me where you fall on it since Neuro is not on there.

http://x42.xanga.com/cacd033740d3347051708/b18139348.jpeg

 

[PainDr]

The truth is, neurologists are generally a pretty boring, introspective lot. Not all of us mind you, but most unfortunately are. Regarding procedures, we're a LONG way from cardiology. I do think that eventually we'll do alot more procedures, but not in the forseeable future. This is one reason I chose interventional pain management. I love doing procedures. Actually I was interested in pain first, but couldn't imagine being an anesthesiologist or physiatrist. I really enjoyed neurology. I loved the thought process involved in localization and really loved learning about the nervous system in general. Unfortunately, most don't share our passion for the specialty. I've found that people either love neuro or hate it. Those who love it go into it and everyone else avoids it like the plague. While this makes one highly regarded and in high demand, it also leads to a flood of illogical, time sucking consults from PCPs and other specialists. Also, unfortunately, not all training programs are equal and I continue to be utterly shocked at how poorly trained many practicing clinicians are...both in private practice and academia. Make sure you go to a really good program. In all fairness though, it's very difficult to be a good general neurologist which is why many people subspecialize.

 

[mysophobe]

Go into neuroradiology. There are some neato procedures there.

EDIT: I love the brain and all its glory, but one thing made me glad I didn't go into neurology. I went to the store yesterday and saw an issue of Scientific American: Mind (or something like that). I thought, oh cool. I looked inside and didn't care about any of the stories in there, and they were pretty neurology-related (as opposed to psychology, genetics, etc.). Aside from strokes and aneurysms, I guess I don't really like it that much. 😳

 

[ectopic_thought]

While this makes one highly regarded and in high demand, it also leads to a flood of illogical, time sucking consults from PCPs and other specialists. Also, unfortunately, not all training programs are equal and I continue to be utterly shocked at how poorly trained many practicing clinicians are...both in private practice and academia. Make sure you go to a really good program.

what are these good programs you speak of? i love neuro, but not everyone can go to MGH 🙂

 

[PainDr]

See the neurology FAQ.

 

[Hard24Get]

See the neurology FAQ.

Hey PainDr:

Thanks so much for responding to me. I am pretty introspective, but when I am excited about something I want to talk to people who are excited, too (unfortunately those people appear to be hard to find! 😳 ).

I have not had enough experience yet to find out whether I will be good at/like doing procedures yet, but I am interested in pain from a chronic disease perspective. It must be rewarding to use your love of neurology to improve someone's quality of life. I would love to hear more about your day-to-day work. Are you more like a general neurologist with Pain inclinations, or is every patient a pain consult?

 

[Methyldopa]

what are these good programs you speak of? i love neuro, but not everyone can go to MGH 🙂

See specifically the post by Play274:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=164050

Great list but I think it gets silly after about #17. How one person could possibly rank that many programs is beyond me?!

Arguably the top ones (in MY opinion) are: Partner's, UCSF, and Columbia. (I can put Hopkins, because I hate its location).

#1 clearly is Partner's in my unbiased opinion. 😉

 

[PainDr]

I'm currently completing my fellowship and will be done the end of June. It's really difficult to do both neuro and pain so I've decided to do chronic pain full time. The schedule I plan to have is: OR procedures Mon-Thurs mornings and clinic in the afternoons. I'll be providing a full range of procedures, everything from epidural steroid injections to
spinal cord stimulators. It will be an interdisciplinary setup...medical management, interventions, psych and functional restoration.

 

[neurologist]

. . . It will be an interdisciplinary setup...medical management, interventions, psych and functional restoration.

Ha! You will very quickly follow the typical "pain factory" route of doing 100% high-reimbursing procedures and ZERO minimally reimbursing medical and psych visits. So called "pain management" is a scam, at least in my geographic area; the pain docs won't even see anyone for true pain management, only to stick a needle into them and send them back to their primary care doc.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

I'm trying to imagine being so passionate about pain. I guess it's the number one reason why people seek medical care, and that's important. I want to see the kinds of zebras that Oliver Sacks treats in "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat".

 

[mysophobe]

Good book. Have you ever read "The Man Who Tasted Shapes"? I think that's what it's called. It's about synesthesia. Definitely an interesting read.

 

[ectopic_thought]

i don't think the forum has moved more than a couple threads off the front page in the last 3-4 weeks. kinda lame...

neuro is the only field that's grabbed me in med school. it's the only subject i'll read journal articles about purely for interest, not just because i should stay abreast of certain topics. it's got the most interesting problems, the coolest physical exam findings, and by far the most potential ahead of it for understanding and for developing therapies (aside from psych - the other side of the neuroscience coin).

but socially, collegially, or whatever the term would be - it seems pretty lame. i'm not trying to go clubbing with my future colleagues here or anything, but it does seem like either (1) no one frequents the forum, or (2) there are mainly a bunch of wallflowers here. i'm not the most bubbly person either, but i really hope the level of energy here isn't at all suggestive of what personality my residency will have.

nothing against anyone, just responding to the post. and i guess i just kinda reiterated what the first post said, lol 🙂

 

[mysophobe]

They're too busy reading those journals or creating new therapies. 😉

 

[DropkickMurphy]

It's not dead, it's just in a permanent vegetative state....

 

[GopherBrain]

Activity on this forum fluctuates predictably based on the time of year. Things are pretty dead from about one month after the match to mid-late summer. Then, it builds quickly until after the match the following year....

If you want to try to kick-start things, ask specific answerable questions and people will jump in. Otherwise, it will probably be a couple months until things get rolling. In fact, it might be longer this year, as the demise of the early match allows people more time before they have to decide where to apply and get those apps in.

 

[ectopic_thought]

Activity on this forum fluctuates predictably based on the time of year. Things are pretty dead from about one month after the match to mid-late summer. Then, it builds quickly until after the match the following year....

If you want to try to kick-start things, ask specific answerable questions and people will jump in. Otherwise, it will probably be a couple months until things get rolling. In fact, it might be longer this year, as the demise of the early match allows people more time before they have to decide where to apply and get those apps in.

ah, okay then. that makes plenty of sense.

 

[Hard24Get]

ah, okay then. that makes plenty of sense.

but you must nevertheless ask yourself the question of why all the other specialties, which have had regular match for years, have more jumping discussions than this one? The equivalent of this in a collegial sense is the fellow resident/physician who only talks to you when they want something. I'm gonna have to agree with DropKick when he declared a vegetative state 👎