Hello! I am a PGY-2 neurology resident, currently trying to figure out the fellowship that would best fit my future goal: a decent lifestyle to be able to focus on family and decent pay. Clinical Neurophysiology seems an attractive choice, however, I am confused between the mixed vs single track (was leaning more towards EEG). What would the CNP pass-outs suggest between mixed vs single track, especially if the goal is to work in academia (especially at the beginning of the career) and maybe later transition to an outpatient community hospital practice? Mixed tracks seem to be very few, mostly reserved for inhouse residents, and unevenly distributed in terms of curriculum (rarely is a fellowship equally distributed between EEG/EMG). Thank you! Would appreciate any piece of advice.
Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowships-- Mixed vs Single Track
- Thread starter TNKay
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Would you rather be the expert at one technical skill or ok at two of them?
For academia, expert is expected. For private practice, i'd still rather be an expert.
For academia, expert is expected. For private practice, i'd still rather be an expert.
Thanks for your reply! Also how do clinical neurophysiology single tracks differ from epilepsy/neuromuscular fellowships? And what is a better choice? CNP or epilepsy/NM fellowship? Will appreciate your response, thanks!
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At academic centers and even some big health systems, you could be restricted from doing EEG and/or EMG without a full year dedicated fellowship in one of these. In the community or private practice settings though, there are typically no such restrictions. These fellowships are for general neurologists who want to do a little bit of everything including inpatient and outpatient.
I did a mixed EEG/EMG fellowship (with 6 months on each) but these are dying out. There is ever increasing subspecialization in neurology. So it’s best to go with that trend and just be focused as much as possible with your neurology practice IMO. I personally feel stretched thin sometime doing all of inpatient, outpatient, EMG, and EEG in one day.
I will say that a neuromuscular fellowship is geared more for someone who wants to do outpatient. Some of these fellowships can also teach you how to diagnose and treat autonomic disorders, which is quite useful. However, neuromuscular has limited added value for inpatient neurology. Moreover, if you are a neurohospitalist, you will have a harder time finding time and a place to EMGs.
I did a mixed EEG/EMG fellowship (with 6 months on each) but these are dying out. There is ever increasing subspecialization in neurology. So it’s best to go with that trend and just be focused as much as possible with your neurology practice IMO. I personally feel stretched thin sometime doing all of inpatient, outpatient, EMG, and EEG in one day.
I will say that a neuromuscular fellowship is geared more for someone who wants to do outpatient. Some of these fellowships can also teach you how to diagnose and treat autonomic disorders, which is quite useful. However, neuromuscular has limited added value for inpatient neurology. Moreover, if you are a neurohospitalist, you will have a harder time finding time and a place to EMGs.
I wouldn't do a 'single track' CNP unless there weren't other options. Mixed at 50/50 is good for retaining your options in community practice but limits you a bit for academics especially if you want to work at 'higher end' places. EMG is very difficult to learn in 6 months and really needs 8 months+ unless you start work in a supportive environment with a group where you can still ask questions to a more experienced EMGer easily. If one really wants to be good at neuromuscular, do a NM fellowship for the year. If you really want to do high level surgical epilepsy, an epilepsy fellowship at a high volume surgical place is best. CNP gives you enough of both to do either out in practice, but the natural trend is to gravitate towards one or the other anyways. I've seen EMG guys lose EEG skills in more complex ICU studies quite quickly from not doing it. CNP is a compromise that makes you a swiss army knife to community settings, but you aren't truly an expert.
