What will be the impact on the general neurologist?
Many believe that all neurologists are generalists with special expertise acquired through years of experience and training. Therefore, there is little need for a subspecialty certification process. However, the trend across all medical specialties has been toward subspecialization. This is driven, in part, by new science and technology, which expand both the need and options for subspecialization. Neurologists have responded to this trend. In 2000, 75% of graduating neurology residents entered subspecialty fellowship programs.* Formal establishment of subspecialties has been an avenue for expansion for many medical specialties. Consider the growth of Internal Medicine through the development of subspecialties in Cardiology, Oncology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary/Critical Care, and Allergy. All are considered major areas of practice, and many have developed subspecialties of their own. Though clinically related neurosciences and neurotechnology have exploded in the past decade, formal r
