In the last 50 years we have made more medical advancements than we had done in the previous 500 years and nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of neurology and neurosurgery. Even now, whilst we may understand a great deal more about neurology, we have only really scratched the surface in terms of how much we understand about this aspect of the human body. To take a look at what neurology is and why it is so important, we spoke to the excellent Dr. Curtis Cripe, a specialist in neurology and neuropsychology, to find out more.
What Neurology is About
Neurology is the science of the nervous system, within this are the study of muscles, nerves, blood vessels and the pathways which run between the nervous system and the rest of the body. Neurology studies the spinal cord, the central nervous system and the brain, and seeks to learn more about its operation, disorders and diseases, as well as gaining a deeper understanding about the causes and effects of different nervous systems.
The Process of Becoming a Neurosurgeon
For doctors who want to work within neurology or indeed those who wish to become a neurosurgeon, the first step is to gain a position in medical school and then work hard to achieve the highest results possible, and gain a medical license. Once this is completed a student must then carry out a residency which specializes in neurology. During this residency a young doctor will shadow an experienced neurologist or neurosurgeon until the residency is complete. The residency will take at least 6 years to complete.
Skills Which You Will Need
Neurologists are some of the most intellectual doctors out there, they deal in such fine margins which means that an eye for detail and perfectionism are key skills for this position. A neurologist must also be able to work with ease under pressure, they must be empathetic and they must also have a curious mind because we are learning more and more about this system each and every day. Neurologists must study just as hard when working as they have done at school in order to keep up with any new advancements in this field.
Why it is Important
Every function which they body carries out begins in the nervous system, this is our hard drive which selects functions for us to operate. Neurology is vital for understanding brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Motor Neurons Disease and Parkinson’s too. We also need neurology to understand concussion and how that impacts the brain, and we can also use this branch of medicine to understand more about how the brain and nervous system operates in terms of memory and brain performance.
This is a high level field of medicine which is further proof of just how advanced we are medically speaking, we can now operate on brains and the spinal cord helping to improve people’s lives. If you found this article interesting, check out more in our blog category!
