Schools for Neurology

[Mcatsaymeow]

I have a graduate degree in neuroscience and am really really banking on being able to match to Neurology. It's the whole reason I became interested in medicine. To what extent does the school you attend affect your likelihood of getting into a particular specialty? What (if any) schools are amazing for neurology?

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[Miami Thrice]

Speaking strictly as an amateur, from interviewing at the University of Illinois' Peoria location the campus screamed neurology, specifically because it is next to the Illinois Neurological Institute (and not a whole ton else). I'd imagine at any schools if you show interest in a specialty, handle your business on Step 1, and do research related to it you would be in good shape. I only mention this location because convenience was so obvious.

The pro's on here can definitely offer more blanket advice, figured I would share this observation since it may be of interest.

 

[ERDOC555]

I have a graduate degree in neuroscience and am really really banking on being able to match to Neurology. It's the whole reason I became interested in medicine. To what extent does the school you attend affect your likelihood of getting into a particular specialty? What (if any) schools are amazing for neurology?

Literally doesn't matter which US MD or DO school you attend. Neurology isn't super competitive, so assuming you pass your classes, step exams, and graduate you should be fine.

However it would probably be better to attend a school with a home neurology program for the sake of research, shadowing, advising.

 

[Lawpy]

I have a graduate degree in neuroscience and am really really banking on being able to match to Neurology. It's the whole reason I became interested in medicine. To what extent does the school you attend affect your likelihood of getting into a particular specialty? What (if any) schools are amazing for neurology?

Any US MD school will give you the best chances of matching into neurology. Like any specialty, as long as you do well on the boards, classes, rotations etc. you can match anywhere you like. Having research done in med school may also be an additional plus.

 

[efle]

Are you aiming to keep up the research and be in academic neuro? Or no longer interested in research and just want to see patients all day?

 

[gyngyn]

Of US Seniors (MD, 2014 ), 379 matched into Neuro as their preferred specialty. Only 10 did not.

 

[WedgeDawg]

It's relatively easy to get into Neurology from any school. Obviously the top academic residencies will highly value research and prior academic work in general, so if you want to become an academic neurologist, it would help to go to a research heavy school, particularly one with a prolific neurology department. It's not a requirement, but it'll help.

 

[White Coat Hopefuls]

Like others have said, getting into a certain specialty doesn't matter so much what medical school you attend. I think it does, however, make a difference depending where you want to go in a specific specialty. For instance, if you want to be heavy in academics, go to a big academic hospital-based medical school. I may get some flak for this, but a lot of DO schools just aren't as research-heavy, let alone very specific research. If you're looking to do neuro research, you may be better served and have more opportunities at an institution that gets better funding. Even though you are thinking neurology now, realize it may change, so try to target a school that is well rounded and associated with a teaching hospital that has people researching stuff, whatever it may be.

 

[You're My Boy Blue]

Side note: Why is neurology not considered competitive? It doesn't seem like many people apply to neurology residencies. What are the downsides of the field?
Haven't entered medical school yet and am going in with an open mind, but if I was forced to pick a field today I would choose neuro.

 

[Mcatsaymeow]

Are you aiming to keep up the research and be in academic neuro? Or no longer interested in research and just want to see patients all day?

I am mainly interested in practicing, but ideally I could have a hand in some clinical research as well

 

[BurghStudent]

Side note: Why is neurology not considered competitive? It doesn't seem like many people apply to neurology residencies. What are the downsides of the field?
Haven't entered medical school yet and am going in with an open mind, but if I was forced to pick a field today I would choose neuro.

From my experience, neurology is a great field, but it's also stressful. Strokes occur around the clock, and they can be depressing- for the hours you work you might see that pay as barely enough or too little. A lot of outpatient subspecialties in neurology can seem boring, for example headaches, or epilepsy, or movement disorders. IMO the "too repetitive" complaint can be applied to any specialty, medicine to surgery. Our minds are hungry and make patterns out of everything.

I also think neurology suffers from lack of exposure. Neurology is not a required core clerkship at many medical schools. I think more people would go into neurology if it was a fellowship after internal medicine. Thankfully it's not.

 

[Mcatsaymeow]

Side note: Why is neurology not considered competitive? It doesn't seem like many people apply to neurology residencies. What are the downsides of the field?
Haven't entered medical school yet and am going in with an open mind, but if I was forced to pick a field today I would choose neuro.

From what I've learned, Neurology is on the lower end pay-wise. It's also a really different day-to-day lifestyle from something like internal med, and a lot of people are offput by the "doom and gloom"

 

[Mcatsaymeow]

From my experience, neurology is a great field, but it's also stressful. Strokes occur around the clock, and they can be depressing- for the hours you work you might see that pay as barely enough or too little. A lot of outpatient subspecialties in neurology can seem boring, for example headaches, or epilepsy, or movement disorders. IMO the "too repetitive" complaint can be applied to any specialty, medicine to surgery. Our minds are hungry and make patterns out of everything.

I also think neurology suffers from lack of exposure. Neurology is not a required core clerkship at many medical schools. I think more people would go into neurology if it was a fellowship after internal medicine.

Yes! This is why I'm concerned about where I go. I want to have a core clerkship and offered elective rotations if possible

 

[BurghStudent]

Yes! This is why I'm concerned about where I go. I want to have a core clerkship and offered elective rotations if possible

Like the others said, you can literally go anywhere. If you have such a strong interest, it would be good to have a core clerkship, but even then you can always do an elective at another institution. You can't go wrong anywhere that has a home neurology program. Considering other things, like grading scheme, tuition, location, you could research individual schools to see if they offer a core clerkship/have a neurology residency.

With your background and a good effort in school, you'll match regardless of where you go. (Average Step 1 is 230)

 

[CharlieBillings]

Of US Seniors (MD, 2014 ), 379 matched into Neuro as their preferred specialty. Only 10 did not.

Do you know of an obvious or typical reason those 10 might not have matched? Or were they possibly just the 10 least competitive of the 389?

 

[gyngyn]

Do you know of an obvious or typical reason those 10 might not have matched? Or were they possibly just the 10 least competitive of the 389?

One of them had a sky high Step 1, 4 of them barely passed.
In my experience, when people don't match in Neuro it's not a single causal factor.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Side note: Why is neurology not considered competitive? It doesn't seem like many people apply to neurology residencies. What are the downsides of the field?
Haven't entered medical school yet and am going in with an open mind, but if I was forced to pick a field today I would choose neuro.

Low pay to hours worked ratio
Difficult lifestyle - strokes don't care about your schedule
It can be very diagnostic, but not much "fixing" unless you do a fellowship
The patients can be depresssing because many of the diseases we can't really do all that much about (though this is getting better i.e. in the next 10-15 years we will probably be able to prevent development of Alzheimer's)
Subject matter is difficult for many med students in the preclinical years