[StephenNaulls]

Hi

I've always wanted to be a Doctor and am familiar with the route I need to take in order to secure a place at Medical school. Recently, however, I've been more interested in the field of neuroscience. This is after carrying out work experience in a care home and seeing people suffering from Dementia as well as being in a GP practice. I also found out that my Grandma has Type 2 Neurofibromatosis as well as losing my Uncle, before I was born, to the disease - If you aren't familiar with it, Google it. It's fascinating, but has obviously difficult day-to-day implications - so I've abandoned the slightly naive 'I want to be a GP' approach for Neuroscience; the idea of being in an office environment all day is a little tedious.

I wanted to know a few things really:
- What's the difference between bring a Neurologist/Neuroscientist/Neurosurgeon and what do each of those professions do?
- I haven't done Psychology at GCSE and don't plan on doing it at AS or A-Level, will this hinder my chances?
- What would I need to do after my clinical training? Would I apply for a specialist course or something?
- I appreciate hospital work experience would be helpful, but is there anywhere in particular that is specialised in Neuro... that I could go to?
- Is there any difference in working hours for somebody in this profession in comparison with a GP or a Consultant in a different speciality?

Thanks in advance guys!

[Helloworld_95]

1) A Neurologist is a physician, so generally treats diseases with medicines rather than surgery which is what a neurosurgeon does. A neuroscientist on the other hand would be more towards neurological research.
2) Not at all, all of the training required is done during medical school and specialist training.
3) After you finish your foundation years you then apply for a specialist program.
4) Can't answer that one
5) GP's tend to have better hours but they also get paid less, can't answer in comparison to other specialties though.

[Chief Wiggum]

4) Could you get experience in the "neurology ward" (or equivalent sort of thing) at a hospital?

[polldoll]

Institute of neurological science at southern general hospital in Glasgow is one of the best neuro places! They developed the gcs in 1978! They have 2 neurology wards, 3 neurosurgical wards, neuro hdu, neuro itu, clinics, research etc!



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[-Simon-]

(Original post by StephenNaulls)
Hi

I've always wanted to be a Doctor and am familiar with the route I need to take in order to secure a place at Medical school. Recently, however, I've been more interested in the field of neuroscience. This is after carrying out work experience in a care home and seeing people suffering from Dementia as well as being in a GP practice. I also found out that my Grandma has Type 2 Neurofibromatosis as well as losing my Uncle, before I was born, to the disease - If you aren't familiar with it, Google it. It's fascinating, but has obviously difficult day-to-day implications - so I've abandoned the slightly naive 'I want to be a GP' approach for Neuroscience; the idea of being in an office environment all day is a little tedious.

I wanted to know a few things really:
- What's the difference between bring a Neurologist/Neuroscientist/Neurosurgeon and what do each of those professions do?
- I haven't done Psychology at GCSE and don't plan on doing it at AS or A-Level, will this hinder my chances?
- What would I need to do after my clinical training? Would I apply for a specialist course or something?
- I appreciate hospital work experience would be helpful, but is there anywhere in particular that is specialised in Neuro... that I could go to?
- Is there any difference in working hours for somebody in this profession in comparison with a GP or a Consultant in a different speciality?

Thanks in advance guys!

Between any specialist consultant and a GP you will find that the GP has considerably better working hours/more flexible working hours. However, working as a GP does have other drawbacks which aren't prominent in a consultant position.

The only decision you now have to make is do I want to do Medicine and be able to treat/operate on/research conditions related to the brain or do I want to study Neuroscience and take a purely academic research focused look. Get some experience within a care home setting/other caring role and get some in a lab...try things out and ask questions.

[nexttime]

There is nothing naiive about wanting to be a GP.

[Hippokrates]

Try a stroke ward. I did two days on different ones and I got to see MRI/ CT scans and have them explained to me. It was probably my favourite work experience.

[StephenNaulls]

(Original post by nexttime)
There is nothing naiive about wanting to be a GP.

Let me rephrase. I was slightly naive when I decided I wanted to be a GP. I knew I wanted to be a Doctor, but I hadn't researched it a great amount. I made the decision without really thinking about it. I should have phrased that a little better, sorry!

[StephenNaulls]

(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
4) Could you get experience in the "neurology ward" (or equivalent sort of thing) at a hospital?

I've been working on the hospital for a long time now. Couldn't get in it for my work experience in Year 10. I'm 16 and the minimum age for voluntary work is 17. I'm working on them though, I'll ask about the neurology ward!

Thanks

[StephenNaulls]

(Original post by -Simon-)
Between any specialist consultant and a GP you will find that the GP has considerably better working hours/more flexible working hours. However, working as a GP does have other drawbacks which aren't prominent in a consultant position.

The only decision you now have to make is do I want to do Medicine and be able to treat/operate on/research conditions related to the brain or do I want to study Neuroscience and take a purely academic research focused look. Get some experience within a care home setting/other caring role and get some in a lab...try things out and ask questions.

I've been in a care home before and I found it really rewarding. That really fuelled my ambition to study Medicine a lot more. However, it would be nice to be able to contrast with it by going into the laboratory. As long as I can say what I've learned from it, it will always be beneficial. Thanks for the suggestion, now I just have to find a laboratory near me to go to!