Written by: Ahmed El Folly
Edited by: Aleeza and Chantelle
Job Description
Neurologists are medical professionals that specialize in diagnosing and treating patients who exhibit disorders in the nervous system. This includes the spinal cord, brain, nerves, and muscles of the patient. They are able to diagnose and treat patients by examining their physical and mental conditions. One of the key abilities of a neurologist lies in their superb skill of recognizing early symptoms of many nervous disorders, their cause, and location, which often leads to quick and efficient treatment. In the United States, the average salary for a neurologist is $260, 400 USD, whereas in Canada, the average salary is $233, 346 USD.
Requirements
In order to become a neurologist, a medical degree or degree in osteopathy is required. Other requirements include accreditation with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and a minimum of 3 years of specialty training in a certified residency program. To practice neurology, neurologists must obtain a current state medical license and federal DEA license. Neurologists must also possess certain skills and attributes, including counselling skills, listening skills, organizational skills, time management skills, effective communication skills, decision-making skills, attention to detail, and strong leadership.
Types of Disorders Treated by Neurologists
Examples of disorders treated to neurologists include but are not limited to: epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors, brain or spinal cord trauma, Tourette’s syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In essence, neurologists mainly treat diseases and disorders linked to the nervous system.
Work-Life Balance
A study conducted by American Academy of Neurology showed that approximately 60% of neurologists had at least one symptom of burnout within a week. The strenuous hours of work, the numerous nights on-call, the vast number of patients seen per week , and the amount of clerical work done by neurologists were the main factors that contributed to the risk of burnout. Most notably, this study found that academically practicing neurologists had a lower burnout rate, as well as higher rates of career satisfaction and quality-of-life compared to clinical neurologists.
Should I Become a Neurologist?
When it comes to deciding if becoming a neurologist is the right career path for you, Dr. Paul Bendheim explains, “To be a neurologist, a physician, everything else has to be secondary. You have to be willing to leave dinner to take care of the patient. It comes down to that philosophy. If you’re responsible for someone’s life, there are no excuses for the time you have to put in for proper treatment of your patient.”
Bibliography
Busis, Neil A, et al. “Burnout, Career Satisfaction, and Well-Being among US Neurologists in 2016.” Neurology, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 21 Feb. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5344080/.
CareerExplorer. “What Does a Neurologist Do?” CareerExplorer, CareerExplorer, 14 Nov. 2019, www.careerexplorer.com/careers/neurologist/.
Institute, ERI Economic Research. “Salary.” Medical Neurologist Salary in Canada, www.erieri.com/salary/job/medical-neurologist/canada.
“Neurologist Job Description.” Betterteam, www.betterteam.com/neurologist-job-description.
Salary.com, Site built by: “Neurologist Salary.” Salary.com, www.salary.com/research/salary/alternate/neurologist-salary.