Posted by 4GB RAM from IP 137.49.16.232 on April 30, 2007 at 06:56:17:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Neuro after FM posted by drsa on April 29, 2007 at 20:20:58:
Hi drsa,
sorry to contradict a few of your statements..
1) No neuro program to the best of my knowledge in a community hospital. There may be an exception, but having applied and matched into neurology, I did not come accross one during my applications or interviews
2) I am a prospective neurologist and you are a family medicine attending,so we may never reach a consensus on this. But if you look at any physician salary websites, the average general neurologist salary is much better than FM. And this difference only increases with time.
Further a neurologist can do a fellowship (90% chance of getting a fellowship immediately after residency if you want), you can increase your salary. I know for a fact that clinical neurophysiology and Headache/pain management fellowship gives you a starting salary of upto 300,000.
A neurologist is a specialist and has more respect among other specialist doctors and society in general and also can easily set up a private practice to earn a lot more than what shows up in the physician salary surveys.(unlike FM)
finally, being an FMG (most here in this forum are), you can easily earn and make a big living in your own country being a US-trained neurologist. Trust me, an FM trained doctor earns less than or equal to a bank clerk.
But, I would still advocate that one must do a residency which he or she feels more comfortable and competent. I personally cannot treat OBG,pediatrics cases and be a jack of all trades. I do understand that you may like to see many different type of patients and involve closely with patients and may not like investigation-based diagnosis like a neurologist. Neurologist is usually an excellent diagnostic person but when it coimes to treatment he gives steroids and pain killers for the most part.
so let me conclude by agreeing to the fact that one must never choose a speciality based on compensation. But hey, would most of us(if not all) be a laid back government employee if it was paid more.