Psychiatry vs Neurology for a Research In Brain Science/Neuroscience

[cyneuron]

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Hello

This topic might had been discussed before also. Have searched forum, but couldn't find specific discussion on this. Please bring to notice in responses if one knows.

(Can somebody please suggest me how to cross-post it to Neurology sections to bring Neurology people into discussion.)

So its clear that Neuroscience is the next frontier in basic and medical research. A medical doctor can explore this highly interdisciplinary area of research from Neurology or Psychiatry (not including Neurosurgery as its such a long track and for other reasons).

Without going into specifics of research topic within Neuroscience (specifics are important when answering such a question, but for the sake of starting discussion; can be discussed in responses), what are your views on this question - which is best of two residency, Neurology or Psychiatry, from the perspective of Translational/Clinical/Basic Research in Brain Science/Neuroscience ?

I have developed following impression from reading - Psychiatry seems to be at advantage.

- Relatively Easy to get into Psychiatry Residency.

- 1 Year of Free (Research) Period During Residency.

- Much Higher Grants to Psychiatry Departments.

- Interfaces with Behavioral Aspects of Brain more closely than Neurology (which seems to me to be more of Internal Medicine part of Brain).

Request to not consider it a categorical labeling of Psychiatry or Neurology as good or bad; Will help me and others interested if some good discussion may bring some good points.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Hello

This topic might had been discussed before also. Have searched forum, but couldn't find specific discussion on this. Please bring to notice in responses if one knows.

(Can somebody please suggest me how to cross-post it to Neurology sections to bring Neurology people into discussion.)

So its clear that Neuroscience is the next frontier in basic and medical research. A medical doctor can explore this highly interdisciplinary area of research from Neurology or Psychiatry (not including Neurosurgery as its such a long track and for other reasons).

Without going into specifics of research topic within Neuroscience (specifics are important when answering such a question, but for the sake of starting discussion; can be discussed in responses), what are your views on this question - which is best of two residency, Neurology or Psychiatry, from the perspective of Translational/Clinical/Basic Research in Brain Science/Neuroscience ?

I have developed following impression from reading - Psychiatry seems to be at advantage.

- Relatively Easy to get into Psychiatry Residency.

- 1 Year of Free (Research) Period During Residency.

- Much Higher Grants to Psychiatry Departments.

- Interfaces with Behavioral Aspects of Brain more closely than Neurology (which seems to me to be more of Internal Medicine part of Brain).

Request to not consider it a categorical labeling of Psychiatry or Neurology as good or bad; Will help me and others interested if some good discussion may bring some good points.

I would not disagree with any of your points here. I think I've expressed similiar sentiments in long buried posts of the past. That said, I think you really need PhD level depth in neurobiology to become a real researcher in basic science, if that's you goal.

Best of luck!

 

[cyneuron]

I would not disagree with any of your points here. I think I've expressed similiar sentiments in long buried posts of the past. That said, I think you really need PhD level depth in neurobiology to become a real researcher in basic science, if that's you goal.

Best of luck!

thanks for the reply sir...

MD Phd Neuroscience/Neurobiology is surely the best way to go for it. But what about people who are already through their MD ? Joining Phd after MD and then expecting a residency seems really difficult track.

Another way is Residency followed by Research Oriented Fellowship ? I am unable to locate much and specific info on this ?

 

[Doc Samson]

thanks for the reply sir...

MD Phd Neuroscience/Neurobiology is surely the best way to go for it. But what about people who are already through their MD ? Joining Phd after MD and then expecting a residency seems really difficult track.

Another way is Residency followed by Research Oriented Fellowship ? I am unable to locate much and specific info on this ?

http://psychiatry.yale.edu/education/resfell/index.aspx

 

[psychattending]

thanks for the reply sir...

MD Phd Neuroscience/Neurobiology is surely the best way to go for it. But what about people who are already through their MD ? Joining Phd after MD and then expecting a residency seems really difficult track.

Another way is Residency followed by Research Oriented Fellowship ? I am unable to locate much and specific info on this ?

Several programs (usually at schools with a lot of on-going NIH funded research) provide research training to residents during as well as after residency training. Washington University is one of those places. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about our program.

 

[Sust]

I've noticed that when you're at the frontiers of neuroscience, the arbitrary lines of demarcation we draw between neurology and psychiatry's fiefdoms become super fuzzy so go with what interests you more.
As said before, if you're that much more interested in basic neuroscience research vs. clinical care then you are best served with the PhD, but I have seen many MD basic science researchers flourish as well so its not that any research doors are closed for either group.
I see that others have mentioned the extramural side of things, but let me also put in the plug for intramural funding at the NIH in Bethesda, MD.

 

[cyneuron]

what about any cons of Psychiatry compared to Phd Neuroscience / Neurology as a pathway to research in neuroscience /brain science ?

 

[nancysinatra]

what about any cons of Psychiatry compared to Phd Neuroscience / Neurology as a pathway to research in neuroscience /brain science ?

I think the questions you are asking above are rather abstract. If you are an MD student, then the question should be, which types of diseases are you interested in researching and where can you do that? The size of grants to psychiatry departments won't help your situation if you match at a well funded psych program that doesn't allot time for resident research, OR, if you end up not liking psych but only picked it because it's "the next frontier." In real life neuro and psych aren't as interdisciplinary as they seem. Psych does 2 months of neuro, and neuro does 1 month of psych. You could not do pure neuro research and pass it off as psych very easily. You could probably do some research on "neuropsych"--read: dementia, TBI or a few other things.

Basically, psych deals with behavioral illness, neuro deals with structural nervous system diseases. Pay attention to what interests you more in your clerkships. Is it strokes? Or schizophrenia? These are miles apart. If you want to do neurotransmitter level research in a lab for your entire career, or heavy duty neuroscience, then maybe a PhD is needed?

Also, I don't know why, but lately the board is filled with comments like "it's clear neuroscience is the next frontier in research" and (paraphrased from another thread) "psych chief complaints are obviously WAY more interesting on a day to day basis than rheum or basic IM." It's not surprising to hear this on the psych forum, but these comments would never pass on another forum. Not trying to kill anyone's enthusiasm, but really? Personally I was told in medical school that the "next frontier" was cardiovascular medicine, then childhood obesity, then an HIV vaccine. Is it moving around?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

...Not trying to kill anyone's enthusiasm, but really? Personally I was told in medical school that the "next frontier" was cardiovascular medicine, then childhood obesity, then an HIV vaccine. Is it moving around?

Since "frontier" is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary, what one calls a "frontier" will always depend on the perspective of where one currently stands.

The highly civilized area (yes, coastal friends--we do have electricity, running water, AND internet!) where I now live was considered the "frontier" a mere 200 years ago.

 

[maranatha]

Since "frontier" is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary, what one calls a "frontier" will always depend on the perspective of where one currently stands.

The highly civilized area (yes, coastal friends--we do have electricity, running water, AND internet!) where I now live was considered the "frontier" a mere 200 years ago.

Well, I can't think of a better excuse to bring back one of my favorite songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgeKfzD5PlU

 

[Doc Samson]

yes, coastal friends--we do have electricity, running water, AND internet.

But towns have to pimp themselves out to Google in hopes of getting broadband.