“Medicine is only for those who cannot imagine pursuing another profession. Do it if you cannot think of anything else that you would want to do, because only in that situation are the sacrifices worth it.” This quote from Dr. Luanda Grazette, a Cardiologist and regular participant on the former NOVA program Doctors’ Diaries, perfectly elucidates the type of person who should become a physician (Barnes). The path to receiving a Doctor of Medicine degree is arduous and demanding, but ultimately very rewarding if sacrifices are made. The specialty of Neurology is no exception to the laborious quality of doctor’s life. Neurology, the division of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system and brain, …show more content…
Because a neurologist is a type of physician, the training process is extensive and generally requires four years of undergraduate studies, four years of medical school, and finally four to six years of residency (Joyner). As an undergraduate student, there is no specific major required to apply for medical school, but it is vital to maintain a high grade point average, generally 3.75 or above, and acquire a good score on the Medical College Admissions Test, around 38 out of a possible 45. Admission to medical school is often very difficult to obtain, which is the reason for the maintenance of high academic status throughout undergraduate education (Study.com). The complete medical education process entails a love for learning and knowledge, a true intellectual curiosity about medicine in particular, and a strong desire to help others in addition to a passion for science (Santiago). As a neurologist or any type of physician, there is an opportunity every day to help others, so a desire to assist and enjoyment of social interaction are necessary attributes to be successful in the position. Therefore, a balance of intellect, desire for knowledge, and a love for assistance and socialization is required to initially become and be a successful …show more content…
The first path includes working at a hospital with many new patients in more of a clinical setting. The second, more traditional path includes be working in an office or at a firm where patients are scheduled and mostly returning although some can be new if they are referred by a regular family physician. Lastly, a neurologist can work with a pharmaceutical company such as Merck or GlaxoSmithKline to produce new drugs for neurological diseases and disorders. The most popular path to follow is that of the hospital because positions are easiest to obtain (Joyner). Specifically for pediatrics, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Hospital for Children all employ a large number of neurologists because of the new pediatric research that is up and coming (U.S News and World Report: Health). Similarly, larger cities employ more neurologists because there is a larger capacity of people in an