Question for "neurologist"

[Ross_neuro]

Hey there,

I really appreciate your posts "neurologist". ANyway you can give us a backgorund of where you went for residency, fellowship, etc...what do you see in your practice and what kind of salary and location...? I think a lot of us future neurologists would like to see where we are headed.

Thanks

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[neurologist]

For a variety of reasons I would like to remain as anonymous as possible right now, but I guess I can give you this much:

I finished residency 2 years ago. I have not done a fellowship but I plan to in the next couple years (yes, it's a pay cut, but I think in the long run it will pay off, if not entirely in money, then at least in career satisfaction). I make between 100-120 k right now, which is at the low end but I can live with it.

My practice is primarily outpatient general neurology with some inpatient admits and ER consults. On the outpatient side, about 33% of my patient base is headache, 25% seizure/syncope, 15% back/neck pain, 10% stroke/vascular, 17% everything else. In the "everthing else" category, the more common diagnoses are MS, movement disorders, peripheral neuropathy, and "weird symptoms that make no sense and have no real diagnosis." You will see a lot of this in neurology. Sometimes the best you can do is reassure people that they really DON'T have something horrible, no matter how much they may want to. Inpatient is mostly stroke, seizures, and the occasional "admit for pain control."

Your best allies in the health field will be: a good internist, a good neurosurgeon, a good physical therapist, a good shrink, and, most importantly, a good social worker/case manager, who in my opinion are worth their weight in gold if they're good at their job. WAY underpayed for what they have to do in my opinion.

 

[USIMGgrad]

Is your practice located in the east coast? Also I am curious at the hours you put in a week to make the figure you stated? I am asking this because a neurologist told me that he has to work 100-110 hours a week to maintain his practice which located in the east coast, actually in long island, NY.

Thanks

 

[USIMGgrad]

Neurologist:

Is your practice located in the east coast? Also, I am curious at the hours you put in a week to make the figure you stated? I am asking this because a neurologist told me that he has to work 100-110 hours a week to maintain his practice located in the east coast, actually in long island, NY.

Thanks

 

[tofurious]

Wait, and how much do you put in for your mortgage? (And how much is your house? What's your address while we're at it?) And how much deductible do you have on your car? What kind of car do you drive? Do neurologists drive cars as nice as spine surgeons? As dermatologists?

If you are so interested in the $, go to salary.com. If you are deciding a specialty based on salaries, go into derm/rad/anesthesia. Neurologist has been kind enough to provide his perspective from the other end of the training spectrum, so please don't drive him away with further personal questions he already does not feel comfortable with (you won't even get half as much as he has given you from the standard physician, so be grateful and do a little research yourself).

 

[USIMGgrad]

Sorry if I sounded too personal. The reason I asked this question was because I wanted to find out if the neurologist I spoke with was being frank with me or not. I mean 100 to 110 hours a week sounds crazy to me. Whatever field you are in. By the way, I already have chosen my specialty (Neurology) and I chose it because I love the field not because of the $. I could have easily have went into another specialty with a higher salary. So please do me and yourself a favor and stop being so judgemental.

To neurologist:

I greatly appreciate all of your input on this board. Thank you very much.

 

[bjolly]

neurologist--I was wondering how much time you're able to spend with your patients as a general neurologist. Is it like the 15 minute appointments that primary care providers have, or are you able to spend more time? Also, do you feel that not having done a fellowship limits you in terms of career opportunities? In terms of seeing the most interesting cases? I'm really interested in neuro, and any input you have on these questions would be great.

Beth

 

[scm]

im wondering about time as well, i was hoping to work in an underserved area. a Neurologist just told me(and even called his office to confirm) that medicaid pays him 7.50$ (yes, seven dollars and fifty cents) for a followup visit(and 30$ for initial visit)...with overhead, loans, etc etc, that makes more than 15min seem rough. obviously depends where you practice, or if you decide to only take private insurance(or no insurance)...
scm

 

[mrmed]

Do you think that their is a big diffrence in "real world" practice between what a neurologist and Physiatrist (PM&R) doctor will do?

 

[tofurious]

You would NEVER call a neurologist for rehab potential eval or any of the PT/OT related things. And you should never call a PM&R guy for MS/dementia/encephalitis/meningitis/stroke evals.