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The Daily Schedule Of A Neurologist 

by — Last updated: 2016-12-09 in Pre-med

Table of Contents

A neurologist is a specialist physician who focuses diseases and disorders that affect the central and peripheral nervous system. This article will highlight the training these specialists receive, as well as their daily schedules.

A neurologist will consult with their hospital patients 1-2 times a day, when needed, and they will continue with the management of the patient until they are ready to be discharged. These specialists will also have patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) that have to be seen at least daily. In the case of patients who have suffered brain trauma or those who need further rehabilitation, such as stroke patients, will be transferred to rehabilitation hospitals to receive further management.

Neurologists have their practices based in the hospital they work at as this allows them to quickly get to admitted patients and those in the casualty department, if there's a medical emergency. 

Neurologists have to provide on call services after hours and on weekends for the hospital they work at. They may need to be on call 3-4 times a week depending on how many neurologists are working at that particular hospital. These specialists will receive calls from nursing staff regarding patient care, and from other healthcare professional looking for an opinion or wanting to refer patients to them.

Emergency neurological cases include persistent convulsions due to conditions that affect the brain such as a severe infection, acute strokes, severe headaches that don't resolve even with treatment and convulsions affecting a single-limb, as this can point to issues such as an intra-cranial tumour. 

Monday

This is usually an administrative day where tasks such as meeting with relevant stakeholders and medical reps are confirmed for the week, paperwork is done and the call list is confirmed.

The neurologist will then start consulting with patients once all the administrative issues have been dealt with. Patients will be managed either conservatively, with a prescription and referral to other healthcare workers such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, etc., sent for further investigations as out-patients or admitted to the hospital for further tests and management.

Tuesday

Neurologists consult with patients with many different neurological disorders and conditions. Therefore, they may decide to break up the week by seeing specific patients on different days. A Tuesday, therefore, can consist of consulting patients who are referred as epileptic, newly diagnosed epileptic or epileptic patients that are seen as part of their follow up. 

Attention deficit with/without hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) patients may also be seen on this day.

Wednesday

On this day the neurologist may decide to hold a stroke clinic. They will then see newly diagnosed stroke patients who have recently been discharged from the acute or rehabilitation hospitals, and long-term stroke patients who follow up for further examinations and prescriptions.

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Thursday

The neurologist may decide to have a headache clinic on this day where patients with severe headaches such as migraines and cluster headaches are consulted, investigated and managed.

If the neurologist is involved with the academic setup of the medical institution, they will offer training to undergraduate medical students and postgraduate registrars.

Friday

The neurologist will consult with patients in general and then finalise any outstanding administrative issues for the week. The specialist who is on call will then look after their patients and those of their colleagues for the weekend.