Neurologist Salary

The average neurologist salary in the United States is pegged at USD 178,000 p.a. with the higher end of the range shooting up to USD 345,000 p.a. According to another survey the annual neurologist salary ranges from USD 152,100 p.a. to USD 220,890 p.a. - a decent income by any standards. So what exactly does a neurologist do?

As a neurologist you would specialize in diagnosis and treatment of all types of disease or impaired function of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, and autonomic nervous system, as well as the blood vessels that relate to these structures. You consult with patients to determine the appropriate course of treatment, recommend and order tests to determine extent of illness or help diagnose condition. To be a practicing neurologist you require a degree in medicine from an accredited school and license to practice. You would also require at least 2-4 years of neurology experience.

As a neurologist you could specialize in (1) Child Neurology - diagnosis and management of neurologic conditions in children (2) Clinical Neurophysiology - diagnosis and management of central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous system disorders and (3) Pain Medicine - providing a high level care, either as a primary physician or consultant, for patients experiencing problems with acute, chronic or cancer pain in both hospital and ambulatory settings. According to the American Academy of Neurology, physicians specializing in neurology will complete one year of internship with a minimum of eight months in internal medicine plus three years of neurology residency. Certification in any of the subspecialties requires an additional one to three years of training.

The demand and supply of neurologists is expected to remain in balance for the next ten years. According to the American Association of Neurologists year 2000 member census, there are 13,500 neurologists practicing in the U.S. Of these, 72% are adult neurologists, while only about 10% specialize as child neurologists. Nearly 90% are in clinical practice while about 50% are involved in clinical research.

For aspiring neurologists the future outlook is good with the job growth expected to be about at the average for all professions. Stroke and neuro-degenerative diseases increase with age, and specialists will surely be in great demand as the mean age of the US population up. Generally, it is an accepted fact that there is a shortage of doctors and nurses around the world and neurologists are no exception.