Neuroradiology Stand Alone Program

[NeuroWaveSurfer]

Will Neuroradiology ever get it's own stand alone residency program? It seems like a lot of time is wasted learning parts of rads that irrelevant to neurorads.

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[penguin24]

But if you consider that many PP jobs may only involve, say, 50% work in the area of your fellowship & the other 50% general Rads. I'm just an M4, but I doubt the majority of 'Neuroradiology' positions involve 100% interpreting neuroradiology.

I know that typical IR jobs involve 50% IR & 50% general DxRads, although you may find some positions that are completely IR.

 

[NeuroWaveSurfer]

That makes sense. I was thinking more for academic positions where the clinical work would be more focused and specialized.

 

[medsRus]

Probably, it will be via neurology and neuroimaging fellowships.

 

[RisingSun]

Just as the issue is with CTA and cardiologists only looking at the heart and having the rest of the visualized structures overread by radiologists, any neuroimager who looks at films of the spine, be they plain, CT, or MRI, will need to comment on all of the visualized structures. This will include diagnoses relating to things that are not "neuro." If you love the intellectual challenge of looking at head and back films and making diagnoses, then you will probably enjoy diagnosing pathology in other structures, too.

And to echo the comments above, in PP you will likely not be doing only neuro stuff. Most of the neuro fellows at my program were lamenting how poor the job market is for them right now, and said that they were doing their fellowship in neuro to boost their application for private practice jobs rather than to remain in academia doing neuro only. However there were a few ex-neurosurgeons who were planning on staying in academia doing neuro only, so I guess that is always an option and is indeed pursued by some.

Bottom line: If you want to be a neuro imager, you need to and should also have a solid foundation in imaging of all areas of the body, just like a cardiologist or nephrologist needs a solid foundation in internal medicine to practice their specialty properly. The best and currently only route for this is via radiology residency with fellowship, although I do understand that neurology offers imaging "fellowships," the weight of which I do not know.

HTH.

 

[penguin24]

Just as the issue is with CTA and cardiologists only looking at the heart and having the rest of the visualized structures overread by radiologists, any neuroimager who looks at films of the spine, be they plain, CT, or MRI, will need to comment on all of the visualized structures. This will include diagnoses relating to things that are not "neuro." If you love the intellectual challenge of looking at head and back films and making diagnoses, then you will probably enjoy diagnosing pathology in other structures, too.

And to echo the comments above, in PP you will likely not be doing only neuro stuff. Most of the neuro fellows at my program were lamenting how poor the job market is for them right now, and said that they were doing their fellowship in neuro to boost their application for private practice jobs rather than to remain in academia doing neuro only. However there were a few ex-neurosurgeons who were planning on staying in academia doing neuro only, so I guess that is always an option and is indeed pursued by some.

Bottom line: If you want to be a neuro imager, you need to and should also have a solid foundation in imaging of all areas of the body, just like a cardiologist or nephrologist needs a solid foundation in internal medicine to practice their specialty properly. The best and currently only route for this is via radiology residency with fellowship, although I do understand that neurology offers imaging "fellowships," the weight of which I do not know.

HTH.

Great analogy

 

[eddieberetta]

Probably, it will be via neurology and neuroimaging fellowships.

This route is great if you are independently wealthy and do not require a job.

 

[BenFelson]

I am doing neuro fellowship after 16 yrs of private practice. The attendings at my institution have to read out ER films in the morning. They also have to cover offsite contracts, reading everything (OB, body etc).
It is actually enjoyable to interact with other specialists in your department and to keep up.
And you need to keep up your skills should you ever entertain private practice. Everyone has to help out; otherwise, you might not make partner.
BF