Neuro: the basics

Before I get into all the exciting crazy stories, I should talk about the basics of the rotation first. I am on Neurology. This is different than Neurosurgery. Neurology is about opinions. Neurosurgery is about actions.  Seizures, strokes, tremors, think brain and nerve problems.  They are chronic and acute, but they are long lasting. Neurons are among 8 types of cells that do not replicate they can't heal. Once a neuron dies, there are only two outcomes. That function is lost forever or another neuron takes over its job. That's the bottom line. If it can be fixed or is temporary, it goes to neurosurgery.  If it can be covered up, last forever, or linger in that unknown state where we don't know which way it'll go that's a case neurology. And the million dollar question is always 'will it get better?'  That is what neurologists spend their career learning. Most of their job is helping people manage horrible dysfunction. I've always wondered why someone would chose that field.  And I did get that answer.  There is amazement left to be had with the weird cases that defy logic. There is also those few cases that you witness are miracle recoveries. And those cases are what the neurologists live for.

So at our hospital there is only one resident on each service, Neuro and Neurology. Since you can't work a trauma 1 hospital without a Neurology and Neurosurgery resident in house, the residents of each service would theoretically have to stay in the hospital 24/7 for the whole month. This is illegal and ridiculous. So each resident takes a 24 hours shift taking both pagers with the next day off. This means at any one time there is only 1 person responsible for both Neurology and Neurosurgery. I am with that resident.

The reason this is important is because i'm with that resident during the day. So many of my experiences are those you don't see on a regular neurology rotation.  So this is a disclaimer.


Edit:  Also all the residents on neuro and neurosurg are ER residents. At least at our hospital there is no residency for neuro.