peds neuro chronology

[btlwhulka]

I notice the peds neuro thread beginning. I'm interested, but know little about it. I've heard peds neuro takes up to 7 years b/c you must first do pediatrics, then do a neuro program.
Is this true?

What is the chronological pathway of becoming a ped neuro beginning at PGY-1? Also, are these programs found at most health centers, or is this so specialized that there are only a few scattered across the US?

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[f_w]

It is 5 years.

2 years of peds, then 3 years of peds-neuro. In the end, you sit for the neuro boards 'with special qualification in peds neuro' (many people also sit for the peds boards, just for hahas).

Others do adult neuro and then just do 1 year of a peds-neuro fellowship to gain experience. They would not be eligible to sit for the peds boards. But given the shortage of pedi-neuros it doesn't really matter what formal qualificiation you have. If you put up your shingle saying 'peds-neurology' your schedule will be booked in days.

You can find the peds-neuro programs by searching the FREIDA database on the AMA website. Some peds neuro programs will set you up with a peds spot at the same institution (for the first two years), some won't.

You can find a study on the workforce needs of child neurology on the website of the child neurology society.

 

[Aaargh]

Do you have any info/links on salaries?

 

[f_w]

There are two problems with making money in peds-neuro:
- most of your patients are disabled and often on state medicaid or capitated hmo plans (no matter how often you see them, your payment is limited)
- patients are complicated, the reimbursement structures don't value 'time' to the extent they should

As a result, many pedi neuros stay in academia where the salary doesn't depend so much on how much you bring in but at the same time, your income potential is limited by the universities salary structure.

I knew some people who made good money in pedi neuro, but that was either by running an assembly line approach or by doing adult neuro 3 days/week

You won't have to starve, but you have to expect that you will be somewhere between a pediatrician and an adult neurologist in income.