Neurolinguistics

[HCE]

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Hypothetical question (well, not really). Say someone has a very strong interest in Neurolinguistics, and would like to spend a career in both research and the clinical applications of such study...and one is already a third year medical student....what are the pros and cons for seeking the path of a Neurology residency vs. Psychiatry residency vs. PMR residency vs. chucking medical school and heading for a PhD in Neurolinguistics program?

Would I get different responses depending on whether this was posted in the Psychiatry or Neuroscience or PhD forums, under the "if your only tool is a hammer, then you tend to see all problems as nails" theory?

 

[Nerdoscience]

This is actually one of my big interests. I was a Linguistics major in college, and am now a Neuro resident. To be perfectly honest, most of the exciting research in the field is being done by Neuropsychologists. Having said that, much of the most important research clinically is headed up by Neurologists or mixed teams of Neurologists and Neuropsychologists.

I would say stick with your guns, and then try really hard to pursue your exact interests: youa rer sure to impress someone along the way who may get you the in you need.

 

[HCE]

This is actually one of my big interests. I was a Linguistics major in college, and am now a Neuro resident. To be perfectly honest, most of the exciting research in the field is being done by Neuropsychologists. Having said that, much of the most important research clinically is headed up by Neurologists or mixed teams of Neurologists and Neuropsychologists.

I would say stick with your guns, and then try really hard to pursue your exact interests: youa rer sure to impress someone along the way who may get you the in you need.

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Neurdoscience, thanks for the helpful response. Do you think a Psychiatry residency, combined with Neurology and Cognitive Behaviour type electives could be a rational path to take as well? I ask because I have been enjoying everything about Psych that I have encountered to date...the mysteries of the brain fascinate me to no end...

 

[DPPM]

Pediatrics might be another possible pathway, no?

 

[Nerdoscience]

I don't know about peds. I would think that (and I actually have no idea about this), that developmental stuff would be done by the same people I mentioned before, and developmental psychologists.

Psych would probably work, too, but I know way less about it. It definitely is possible to do this kind of work, and be an MD instead of a psychology PhD, even if the possibilities are more limited. If you find a Behavioral/Cognitive program either in Neuro or Psych that you like, make sure they do research with residents, and that they aren't 100% dementia-oriented.

 

[HCE]

I don't know about peds. I would think that (and I actually have no idea about this), that developmental stuff would be done by the same people I mentioned before, and developmental psychologists.

Psych would probably work, too, but I know way less about it. It definitely is possible to do this kind of work, and be an MD instead of a psychology PhD, even if the possibilities are more limited. If you find a Behavioral/Cognitive program either in Neuro or Psych that you like, make sure they do research with residents, and that they aren't 100% dementia-oriented.

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Thanks again for the great insights. I'm thinking I'll be harassing you on SDN for some time. I can't help but think that the best results in this field will come from multi-disciplanary teams, and I want to be one of the Psych guys on one of those teams.

 

[HCE]

Pediatrics might be another possible pathway, no?

"I would say stick with your guns, and then try really hard to pursue your exact interests.." - Nerdoscience

Just last night I was reading about an elective at Einstein in Philly called "Neuro Developmental Pediatrics".....I think Nerdo's quote above might apply...I say "all aboard the multi-disciplanary train"....