Thread by @hyderabaddoctor

Reasons I love #neurology
1. 2022 is my 25th year in Neurology. I enjoy this subject many times more than 1998, when I entered this branch as a #resident at @OffCMCVellore I was dissuaded by many of my teachers to take up DM in another specialty but I stuck to Neurology
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2. Neurology is vast: If you love reading, there are several topics you can read. There are about 600 common #diseases in Neurology to read about. Newer diseases are being discovered, so there is no dearth of new topics to learn about.

3. History & physical examination are still the most important to arrive at a diagnosis. Whether it is epilepsy, migraine, stroke, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease, history & physical are more valuable than any investigations. MRI, EEG & EMG contribute but are not final

4. Each case and each patient is different. Same disease can have varied presentations and varied severity. So, even if you are seeing the 100th case of PD, #Alzheimers or #Epilepsy, there is something different, so, you never get bored, it keeps you interested in the subject.

5. Neurological diseases can affect any part of the body from head to toe and can present with symptoms of any organ system. So, as a Neurologist, we see the patient as a whole, and not "just a specific part of the patient's body"

6. Systemic diseases can present with neurological symptoms and diseases. So, what we learnt in MD Medicine (and even MBBS) comes in handy. Similarly, neurological diseases can present with symptoms of other systems. I love this close tie up between #internalmedicine & Neurology

7. Neurology has a good mix of office practice (#headache, back pain, epilepsy, PD, etc) and #CriticalCare/emergencies (#stroke, status epilepticus, #coma, CNS infections, GBS, etc). This unique mix definitely makes neurology unique and challenging.

8. Major breakthroughs happened in the field of neurology during 25 years (which I was proud to be part of). Thrombolysis & thrombectomy in stroke, DBS in PD, immunotherapy for various diseases, treatment for spinal muscular atrophy to name a new. Still many areas left to explore

9. Neurology is an excellent subject to teach. I have taught neurology to students of MBBS, MD (Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics), ER/critical care physicians, physiotherapy, nursing and off course post-graduates in neurology. They loved my classes as much as I loved #teaching.

10. There are fewer neurologists (compared to many other specialists). When I started as a Neurologist (2001), there were only about 2500 neurologists in the entire country. Even today, the numbers are less. So, you get the respect from colleagues & patients.

My advice to any young aspirants for Neurology- go for it, you will not regret your decision. It is challenging, satisfying and surely, you will not get bored or burnt out.
#MedTwitter #NEETPG