Internal Med-Neurology Combined Residency

[Hard24Get]

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I am interested to know what people think about this option. I never seriously considered it until my mother was hospitalized the other day and the neurologist treating her didn't see any potential association between her transverse myelitis and her complaint of dryness and the enlarged parotid gland on MRI...

Anyway, it seems to me that given the number of illnesses that can manifest with neurological symptoms, it might be nice to have this dual training. But is it worth an extra year? Does it count as having done a subspecialty like Neuroimmunology, etc.? And perhaps more importantly, have you seen these folks in practice and what do they do and are they any good at it?

 

[undecided3yr]

I dont think this is entirely true, but from talking with my attendings about duel residencies, they say that people tend to end up focusing on one of their specialties within their practice.

 

[deuist]

But is it worth an extra year?

That depends. Can you justify a reason for having both? Any solid residency program should prepare you for what you may encounter as a specialist in that field. I can't see the extra IM certification making you any better of a physician. If it does, your residency hasn't done its job.

Does it count as having done a subspecialty like Neuroimmunology, etc.?

No. You will have two certifications, but not a sub.

And perhaps more importantly, have you seen these folks in practice and what do they do and are they any good at it?

Like the other poster mentioned, most people stick to only one field. I do know of a child psychiatrist is also a pediatrician. She claims that her peds knowledge helps her deal with her eating disorder clients who have electrolyte imbalances.

 

[mysophobe]

The only dual-specialty people I can think of that use both are the med-peds guys. A lot of them do adult and peds care.

 

[deuist]

The only dual-specialty people I can think of that use both are the med-peds guys. A lot of them do adult and peds care.

How is med-peds any different that family medicine? I imagine these programs amounting to little more than a 5-year FM residency.

 

[mysophobe]

http://www.medpeds.org/

Med-peds guys are board eligible in IM and Peds, as well as able to do fellowships in adult, peds, or combined fellowships involving both.

 

[deuist]

http://www.medpeds.org/

Med-peds guys are board eligible in IM and Peds, as well as able to do fellowships in adult, peds, or combined fellowships involving both.

Yes yes, I see the stated advantage of getting both. But I still wonder: given that most physicians will specialize in one field, what good is the extra training if it never gets used? Could you give me an example of a combined fellowship involving both?

 

[mysophobe]

Go to the website and look at the fellowship guide. They have just about every specialty. And also, most don't specialize. Most of them continue to see adults and children--hence me mentioning them.

 

[penguins]

For what it is worth...
I have heard lots of debate about whether being IM/neuro helps if you want to go the Neuro Critical Care fellowship route. Because there is currently no board cert for that from the nero folks on this but there is from IM.
Heard it argued well both ways but that seems to be the only good arguement I have heard for doing both IM and neuro other than just because you want to - which is valid in and of itself.

 

[Hard24Get]

For what it is worth...
I have heard lots of debate about whether being IM/neuro helps if you want to go the Neuro Critical Care fellowship route. Because there is currently no board cert for that from the nero folks on this but there is from IM.
Heard it argued well both ways but that seems to be the only good arguement I have heard for doing both IM and neuro other than just because you want to - which is valid in and of itself.

It seems it would also be useful to have advanced training in IM if you want to do general neurology....

 

[AznTrojan]

why anyone wants to do more internal medicine is beyond me.. 😉

only 8 weeks and 5 days left of intern year..