no core neurolgy

[WalterDonnie]

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Hey guys, Its been brought to my attention that most schools have neurology as a 3rd year core rotation, mine didn't. I'm planning fourth year currently and am going to do a neuro rotation, as I want to be prepared for intern year. My question is, do you think I should do the rotation in the beginning of the year so I have it on my transcript when I apply for residency? I'm just wondering if you think programs would look poorly upon an applicant who hasn't completed a neuro rotation. I would just take it in the beginning of fourth year regardless, but it would just be much more convenient to take it at the end. Thanks for your help.

 

[notdeadyet]

My medical school didn't have a neurology rotation in 3rd year. I did it as an elective after application. It was pointed out at 1 of my 12 interviews. It went something like

"I see Acme doesn't require a neuro rotation?" "
No, but I'm doing a four week elective"
"Oh good, good..."


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Maybe I’m lazy, but I’m surprised by two things in this. The first is that some schools do not require neurology. I’m fairly sure that is one of the things states look for when screening IMGs for training eligibility.

The second is that any training directors would even assume that someone will not be doing neurology. Dean’s letters are written so early, the exclude almost half of anyone’s rotations so I have never paid any attention to which rotations are and are not included in it.

I would think neurology would be important not only for people going into psychiatry, but for about anyone who will be treating patients with a head. I’m sure everyone has heard of strokes and headaches. The incidence of these isn’t quite up with obesity and HTN, but it they are way up there.

 

[Armadillos]

I think I saw more actual neurological work up on IM wards than neuro wards. Neuro wards was chock full of pts awaiting placement for weeks, unplaceable patients, MS patients w/ no active lesions who mysteriously developed new weakness after meeting w/ a disability lawyer, neurosurgery pts that some wizard of an intern managed to get turfed off to neurology, etc.

I imagine outpatient neuro would be a lot better

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Most neuro rotations probably have some clinic time but the real difference between medicine neuro and neuro neuro are the 3 hour bedside rounds marathons neurologists are so fond of.

 

[clausewitz2]

Most neuro rotations probably have some clinic time but the real difference between medicine neuro and neuro neuro are the 3 hour bedside rounds marathons neurologists are so fond of.

3 hour rounds? If we our neuro rounds were over in 3 hours we'd be laughing. Bedside rounds on our non-stroke neuro inpatient service generally averaged approximately an hour per patient. This is how one keeps busy between 9 and 2 when your census is 5, I suppose.

 

[J ROD]

We had 2 weeks. I am doing an elective in it 4th yr to get more experience instead of doing another Psy elective.

I think it will help because I know I feel that is my weakest area coming into residency.

Neuro would have been my second choice though. So, I do like the content and we had plenty of pathology. But, the rounds did suck. Not as bad as MICU rounds though............

 

[clausewitz2]

I kid because I love. Did required month this year, will do a second AI in neuro next year, took a long time to choose between neuro and psych.

 

[Dharma]

I've had 8 weeks neuro as a 3rd year. Never had 3 hour rounds. Too busy for that. Census consistently 20-30 and they move fast except for 4-5 that took longer course. Consults come rapid fire especially from ED. As a student have been first contact on a lot of consults. Did a bunch of full neuro exams to the point where I can fly through it and starting to know how to use it well. Point being, if you land a solid rotation in neuro, it will be worth it and probably leave you with better exam skills that some folks farther along in the game (but without similar exposure).

 

[WalterDonnie]

ok ill just do one later in the year. thanks guys.

 

[Dharma]

@WalterDonnie if you could find a rotation that is divided between inpatient and outpatient that would be ideal. More variety outpatient but interesting presentations on the acute side of things. Had a few patients that walked the fine line between "is this psych or neuro?" Very interesting. Encephalopathy, vasculitis, withdrawal patients, serotonin syndrome, and some that we never figured out and consulted psychiatry for. In my opinion, all good things to see as a future psychiatrist (well actually, physician in general).

 

[milesed]

We never had it in med school and I was fine in residency and on boards. Do it when ever you like, it won't matter much.

 

[asdf0987]

I don't think any psychiatry residency will make any judgements either way if you have not taken a neuro rotation or if it's not yet on your transcript. You will learn it eventually and then have to re-study it for psych boards anyways.

 

[Leo Aquarius]

 

[Mass Effect]

Maybe I’m lazy, but I’m surprised by two things in this. The first is that some schools do not require neurology. I’m fairly sure that is one of the things states look for when screening IMGs for training eligibility

You'd be surprised how many stateside MD and DO schools don't require neurology.

I think I saw more actual neurological work up on IM wards than neuro wards. Neuro wards was chock full of pts awaiting placement for weeks, unplaceable patients, MS patients w/ no active lesions who mysteriously developed new weakness after meeting w/ a disability lawyer, neurosurgery pts that some wizard of an intern managed to get turfed off to neurology, etc.

I imagine outpatient neuro would be a lot better

That's definitely exclusive to your program. No such thing happened on either my third-year neuro rotation or my neuro months as an intern.

 

[Armadillos]

That's definitely exclusive to your program. No such thing happened on either my third-year neuro rotation or my neuro months as an intern.

Yeah I'm sure it's very program dependent.

I don't think our program is a real general neuro powerhouse. There is a massive stroke service, a big epilepsy/seizure service and neuro onc runs there own mini service, so by the time you get to general neuro guillan-barre and MS are the main high volume admitting diagnoses left and they are absolute social work nightmares for unfunded patients.

I was probably over critical overall though, if for nothing else seeing some huntingtons cases is good for psychiatrists

 

[RustBeltOnc]

Most neuro rotations probably have some clinic time but the real difference between medicine neuro and neuro neuro are the 3 hour bedside rounds marathons neurologists are so fond of.

Indeed, and much discussion re: "localization of the lesion" by neuro exam ... as the med students pull up the MRI from last night on PACS