Ashley Neal

Mr. Rhodes

Advanced Placement Language and Composition

28 February 2019

A Career in Neurology

Playing in the soccer tournament championship game, Kate shouts for the ball as she

dashes toward the goal. Her teammate makes a cross and Kate jumps into the air to head the ball

into the goal, but the defender aggressively saves the goal attempt by knocking Kate away from

the ball. Kate’s head slams into the goal post and her teammates scream in disbelief as she lays

unconscious on the field with a giant gash on her head. Dialing 911, the coach sprints to her side

and applies pressure to her wound as they anxiously wait until the ambulance arrives. Sirens

blaring, the ambulance rushes her to the hospital. In the ambulance Kate regains consciousness

and begins panicking, but the paramedics successfully calm her. Wheeling the stretcher into the

emergency room, the doctors call for a neurologist who orders a head scan to determine if Kate

incurred brain damage. A nurse stitches up her head while the neurologist reviews the scans.

After performing multiple tests and asking Kate a series of questions, the neurologist diagnoses

her with a severe concussion. Aspiring physicians desiring to deal with similar situations and

treat neurological issues pursue this specialized profession. A career in neurology encompasses

diagnosing and treating conditions of the central and peripheral nervous systems, employing

advancements, and examining common neurological conditions.

Though strenuous and lengthy, the educational path rewards disciplined and determined

students with an exciting and fulfilling career in neurology. Undergraduate education lays the
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foundation for medical school and students should begin by selecting a major, minor, and

university. The most common majors for a neurological career include Biology, Chemistry, and

Neuroscience (McEwan & Slaughter). Though not required, beneficial minors include

Psychology and foreign languages (Edwards). When selecting a college, students should

consider availability of their preferred major. Colleges offering majors in Biology and Chemistry

include Harvard College, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

(UNC-CH), ranked second, eighth, and 30th, respectively, among public and private national

universities (“National University Rankings”). While Harvard accepts merely 5 percent of

applicants, Duke admits double at 10 percent (“Supermatch College Search”). UNC-CH accepts

the highest rate at 27% (“Supermatch College Search”). Without a scholarship both in - state and

out - of - state students pay $66,609 at Harvard, while students attending Duke spend slightly

less at $61,793 (“Supermatch College Search”). As a public school UNC-CH costs the least at

$22,165 in - state and $47,748 out - of - state (“Supermatch College Search”). North Carolina

residents save approximately $160,000 over four years by attending UNC-CH rather than

Harvard or Duke. After receiving undergraduate degrees students pursuing neurological careers

must proceed to medical school.

Preparing for and selecting a medical school demands hours of attention and research.

Prior to applying for admission, students take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT),

measuring knowledge in biological science, physical science, verbal reasoning, and academic

writing (Richardson et al. 223). When selecting a medical school, students should consider

national ranking, tuition, acceptance rate, and average MCAT score. Top medical schools in the

nation include Harvard University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina
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School of Medicine (UNC) ranked first, tenth, and 23rd, respectively (“Best Medical Schools:

Research”). Students attending Harvard spend $58,050, the highest of the three medical schools

(“Facts and Figures”). In comparison, Duke students pay $45,291, 12% less than Harvard

(“Master of Biomedical Sciences”). UNC costs the least at $32,660 in - state and $59,540 out - of

- state (“Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships”). North Carolina residents could save between

$50,000 to $100,000 over four years by attending UNC rather than Duke or Harvard. Medical

school acceptance depends on MCAT scores and other factors. Harvard accepts merely 3.4% of

applicants (“Facts and Figures”). In comparison, Duke accepts a slightly higher rate at seven

percent (“Duke University - School of Medicine”). UNC, the most difficult to get in, accepts less

than three percent of applicants (“UNC School of Medicine”). Medical schools consider MCAT

scores a primary admittance criterion. While students must earn a 528 to achieve a perfect score,

Harvard, Duke, and UNC’s average MCAT scores of 518, 516, and 512, respectively,

demonstrate consistency with their highly competitive acceptance rates (“MCAT Scores - US

Medical Schools”). After medical school graduates work at hospitals for internships and

residencies, later taking licensing examinations. Internships and residencies provide students

with additional education through hands - on experience (“Medical Education”). While

internships last a year, residencies continue for three to seven years depending on the specialty

(“How Many Years”). Prior to obtaining a medical license, graduates must pass the United States

Medical Licensing Examination (Zhang 1). After many years of medical school, rigorous

training, and successfully passing the licensing exam, graduates can begin their career as a

physician.
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Neurologists possess particular skills to successfully perform their roles of interviewing,

examining, diagnosing, and treating patients. Neurologists interview patients to gather personal

and family medical history and to understand symptoms (“Neurologists: Tasks and Activities”).

Next, neurologists perform examinations to determine patients’ physical strength, coordination,

reflexes, sensations, cognitive abilities, and mental status then, proceed to diagnose patients and

analyze information received during interviews and examinations (“Neurologists: Tasks and

Activities”). Lastly, neurologists plan and administer treatments (“Neurologists: Tasks and

Activities”). To perform these various roles neurologists need to acquire numerous skills,

including active listening, speaking, social perceptiveness, reading comprehension, and complex

problem solving. Neurologists should exercise active listening and provide their full attention to

understand what patients say (“Neurologists: Knowledge and Skills”). In addition to listening,

neurologists must speak clearly and simplify complex issues to communicate effectively with

their patients (“Neurologists: Knowledge and Skills”). Neurology students also practice their

bedside manner and social perceptiveness to understand feelings and react in an empathetic

manner (“Neurologists: Knowledge and Skills”). Additionally, neurologists should perfect their

reading comprehension of complex medical journals and research (“Neurologists: Knowledge

and Skills”). Finally, they should refine their ability to analyze complex problems and identify

solutions (“Neurologists: Knowledge and Skills”). Neurologists can choose a career from a

variety of specialties.

Career options in the field include neurology, psychiatry, and neurosurgery. Earning an

average salary of $208,000, neurologists diagnose and treat disorders of the central and

peripheral nervous systems (“Careers in Neurology”). In comparison, psychiatrists earn an

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average of $273,000 diagnosing and treating disorders of the mind (“News Briefs”). Rewarded

for their specialized surgical training, neurosurgeons earn the highest average salaries of

$381,500 (Mccann). Neurosurgeons treat trauma and diseases of the nervous system, including

the brain and spine, by using invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures (Collier 85).

Neurological career specialists can look back at a fascinating history of research and

experimentation.

Neurology originated with Thomas Willis, known as the father of neurology. In the 17th

century Willis and multiple physicians performed the first recorded resuscitation of a person

presumed dead (Bowman). Physicians received the body of Anne Green, a lady sentenced to

death by hanging, and as they picked up the knife to begin dissection, Willis and his colleagues

heard her cough and proceeded to resuscitate her (Bowman). Later interviewing Green, Willis

discovered she did not remember the hanging and had no lasting brain damage (Bowman).

Intrigued, Willis decided to investigate the brain. While performing experiments and dissecting

hundreds of brains, he discovered the majority of the body’s blood gets pumped to the brain; he

later named the arterial system controlling the flow the “circle of Willis” (Bowman). He

published two books, ​The Anatomy of the Brain​ in 1662 and ​The Pathology of the Brain​ in 1667,

containing the most complex explanations of the brain (Bowman). In 1681 Willis conceived the

word “neurology”, defining it as dealing with the structure and function of both central and

peripheral nervous systems (“Neurology History”). Despite advancements from Thomas Willis,

early neurologists did not adequately comprehend mental illnesses.

Early physicians struggled to understand mental illnesses and failed to determine their

root causes, limiting effectiveness of their treatments. Over 100 years ago if doctors ruled out
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physical disease, they diagnosed patients with hysteria (Kroll et al. 83). Fifty years passed until

physicians diagnosed schizophrenia, epilepsy or other mental illnesses (83). Doctors

inadvertently inhibited the effectiveness of their recommended treatments because they

inaccurately believed evil spirits caused mental illnesses. Attempting to rid patients of their evil

spirits, often termed “madness”, physicians proposed inhumane treatments (“Madness and

Insanity”). After hearing stories about men whose madness disappeared from nearly drowning in

shipwrecks, doctors unsuccessfully tried to replicate these results by lowering caged patients into

water and jerking them out once their air bubbles disappeared (“Madness and Insanity”). Another

unsuccessful treatment included strapping patients to restraining chairs, cutting off all sensations

and reducing blood flow to their brains (“Madness and Insanity”). To draw evil spirits and

illnesses out, doctors poured cold water on the restrained patients’ heads and hot water on their

feet (“Madness and Insanity”). As another ineffective strategy to cure madness, doctors spun

patients in circles until they vomited or purged their bowels (“Madness and Insanity”). These

early treatments proved unsuccessful, but as research and experiments continued precise

diagnoses and advancements in treatments evolved.

As neurological research continued, physicians expanded their knowledge of the nervous

system and began categorizing diseases according to the impaired functions. The brain, spinal

cord, and nerves comprise the nervous system which transmits signals from different parts of the

body (Duke 4). Neurologists classified this complex system into two parts: the central and

peripheral nervous systems (5). Disorders of the central nervous system occur in the brain or the

spinal cord (5). More commonly known brain disorders include attention - deficit / hyperactivity

disorder (ADHD), Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injuries, autism,
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Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy (“A to Z List”). Contrarily, less commonly known spinal cord

disorders include central cord syndrome, Devic’s syndrome, and Friedreich’s ataxia (“A to Z

List”). Whereas central nervous system conditions damage the brain or spinal cord, peripheral

nervous system disorders impact nerves, blood vessels, or muscles (Duke 5). Carpal tunnel

syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome impair nerves, while temporal arteritis and giant cell

arteritis damage blood vessels (“A to Z List”). Also conditions of the peripheral nervous system,

Bell’s palsy and congenital myopathy impact muscle function (“A to Z List”). Some neurological

conditions overlap the central and peripheral nervous systems, including stroke and amyotrophic

lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease (“A to Z List”). Advancements in the

understanding of neurological disorders led to improvements in prognosis and treatment of

specific conditions, including ADHD.

A common neurobehavioral disorder affecting children and adults, ADHD, impacts daily

life by causing various undesirable symptoms, either controlled through medication or eliminated

through treatment. Some people with this disorder never seek treatment or diagnosis from a

doctor, making it difficult to obtain precise statistics regarding frequency (Farrar 4).

Accordingly, data suggests ADHD affects 6 to 10 percent of children and up to 6 percent of

adults in the United States (8). A primary symptom, inattention, causes distraction as well as

difficulty focusing and completing tasks (20 - 21). Hyperactivity also impairs those with ADHD

by causing incessant talking, constant motion, and inability to remain still (22). Another

prevalent symptom, impulsivity, evokes people to act and speak without thinking, often leading

them to inappropriately blurt out remarks (22). As a result of these disruptive actions, people

with this condition can damage their relationships if untreated (9). ADHD’s symptoms directly
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relate to chemical imbalances of neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine (30).

Accordingly, these imbalances impair patients’ abilities to make connections between behavior

and consequences (30). Researchers attribute the underlying cause for these imbalances to

genetics as well as maternal drug or alcohol use (29). Genetics contribute to ADHD’s prevalence

as parents have a 50% chance of passing it to their children (31). Additionally, a mother’s use of

drugs or alcohol during pregnancy reduces activity of nerve cells responsible for producing

dopamine and norepinephrine, thus increasing the likelihood of her child developing ADHD

(31). Rather than attempting to understand how their patients develop ADHD, physicians

primarily focus on diagnosing and relieving their symptoms.

Neurologists employ several methods for diagnosing and treating ADHD driven by their

patients’ goals to relieve symptoms or address the root cause. The traditional method of

diagnosing and treating ADHD consists of an evaluation and prescribing medication to alleviate

symptoms. In an evaluation doctors rule out other disorders and patients complete behavioral

assessments to identify symptoms (Farrar 39). Medication, such as methylphenidate, can

decrease symptoms and help patients function normally throughout the day (47). Patients should

expect to use medication for life because it treats symptoms rather than the root cause. In

contrast to the traditional approach, an advanced method of diagnosis and treatment involves

brain mapping and computerized testing, combined with symptom tracking and holistic

treatment. A continuous performance test measures attention and impulsivity, providing support

for an ADHD diagnosis (40). Another diagnostic tool, brain mapping, allows doctors to see

communication and brain activity levels (Shafto). If the brain mapping shows dysregulated

activity then doctors proceed with treatment (Shafto). As not everyone responds to medication,
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holistic treatments emerged and focused on ADHD’s underlying cause rather than symptoms,

allowing patients to eventually stop taking their medicine. One holistic approach, neurofeedback,

treats ADHD’s primary cause by training and rebalancing the brain through consistent weekly

treatments lasting several months (Hasslinger et al. 1). Doctors place sensors on patients’ heads

to train their brains, showing visual feedback only when activating correct parts of the brain

(Shafto). As neurofeedback trains the brain to operate within desired frequency levels, patients

find relief of their symptoms (Shafto). Unfortunately, patients often focus on the significant

short-term financial cost of neurofeedback treatment, rather than calculating the more costly

long-term expense of medication. “In many cases the financial investment of medication over 10

years outweighs the financial investment of neurofeedback for four months” (Conger). In

addition to cost, the time commitment required for neurofeedback often plays into patients’

treatment selections. While many patients tend to opt for medication rather than treating the root

cause, highly successful people provide inspiring examples of living with ADHD. Michael

Phelps, an Olympic gold medalist with ADHD, successfully channeled his energy and focus

when swimming to earn over 20 Olympic medals (Warner 22). Similarly, not limited by ADHD,

Sir Richard Branson founded Virgin Group, consisting of over 200 successful companies,

including an airline sending people to space (“Sir Richard Branson”). Overall, ADHD may affect

daily life, but it does not limit people’s success. In contrast to ADHD, Parkinson’s disease affects

less of the population, yet encompasses more debilitating symptoms.

Neurologists diagnose Parkinson’s disease, a slowly progressing neurodegenerative

disorder, by analyzing characteristic symptoms of the chronic disease. Each year neurologists in

the United States diagnose Parkinson’s in approximately 50,000 people exhibiting symptoms
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consisting of tremors, stiffness, dementia, and speech difficulties (“Parkinson’s Disease”). While

researchers attempt to understand the initial trigger, low levels of dopamine caused by

deterioration of dopamine - creating nerve cells lead to Parkinson’s disease (“Parkinson’s

Disease”). Doctors utilize multiple strategies in the diagnostic process. Neurologists can

diagnose Parkinson’s by observing the way patients walk, talk, and type (Pycha). For example,

patients with Parkinson’s walk in a distinct pattern demonstrated through step distance and heel

force (Pycha). Also, patients talking characteristically slower and taking lengthy pauses between

words or sentences aid neurologists in the diagnosis (Pycha). Interestingly, people with

Parkinson’s also type differently, as shown by the length of time they hold down keys (Pycha).

Additionally, dopamine transporter scans prove patients possess low levels of dopamine, further

aiding diagnosis (Ziebell et al. 242). Unfortunately, patients may seek to manage symptoms but

cannot receive a cure.

Without a cure, Parkinson’s treatments merely ease symptoms and lengthen patients’

lifespans. Two options for treatment consist of medication and deep brain stimulation. A

pharmaceutical approach involves a drug entering the brain, turning into dopamine, thereby

raising dopamine levels and lessening symptoms (“Parkinson’s Disease”). An advanced method,

deep brain stimulation (DBS), involves surgically implanting a device sending electrical

impulses to the section of the brain controlling motor function (Shen 290). While not halting

neurodegeneration, DBS relieves tremors and rigidity symptoms (291). Two well - known

individuals, Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali, provide inspiring examples of living with

Parkinson’s. Fox, a successful actor, received his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1991 and continued

his career for an additional nine years (“Fox, Michael J.”). After retiring he created the Michael
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J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and continues to support research and funding

(“Fox, Michael J.”). Another example, former champion boxer Muhammad Ali, received his

Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1984, several years after retiring from the ring (Doeden 35). After Ali’s

diagnosis, he lived for another 32 years and collaborated with Fox in a campaign to find a cure

for Parkinson’s (37). Although unproven, doctors believe Ali’s repeated head traumas likely

increased his risk of contracting Parkinson’s (Park). Similar to Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis

also damages the brain causing debilitating symptoms.

Another incurable chronic neurodegenerative disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), impairs

the central nervous system. In MS, the body’s immune system attacks the myelin sheath, fatty

substances protecting the nerves (“Multiple Sclerosis”). As the myelin sheath breaks down,

multiple scarring lesions form causing sclerosis to appear in the brain (“Multiple Sclerosis”).

Each year, 10,000 patients with blurred vision, tremors, numbness, and the slurring of speech

receive MS diagnoses (“Multiple Sclerosis”). In severe cases MS damages the body’s motor and

sensory system causing full limb paralysis of arms or legs (“Multiple Sclerosis”). These

symptoms follow a pattern of relapsing and remitting (“Multiple Sclerosis”). Although doctors

do not know the cause of MS, genetic links indicate inheritance patterns (“Multiple Sclerosis”).

Neurologists have difficulty diagnosing MS because other neurological conditions produce

similar symptoms and lesions (“Multiple Sclerosis”). In addition to reviewing symptoms,

physicians examine a patient’s medical history to determine if MS runs in the family (“Multiple

Sclerosis”). Next, if a doctor suspects MS, they proceed to perform magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI) or spinal tap tests (“Multiple Sclerosis”). MRIs provide visibility to MS lesions, while

spinal taps demonstrate an increase in white blood cells or immune - system proteins, both
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common in MS patients (“Multiple Sclerosis”). Although doctors cannot cure MS, treatments

dramatically improve the severity of patients’ symptoms. Corticosteroid drugs slow the

progression of MS, and mitoxantrone decreases the frequency of relapses (“Multiple Sclerosis”).

As an example of successfully living with MS, Ann Romney, wife of former presidential

candidate Mitt Romney, rides horses as a therapeutic way to help with her condition (Lauer &

Shriver). Romney asserts equine therapy improves her balance and core strength (Lauer &

Shriver). To further the search for treatments, she founded The Ann Romney Center for

Neurologic Diseases in Boston (Lauer & Shriver). While researchers persistently seek a cure for

MS, promising advancements continue for another neurological condition, traumatic brain

injuries.

Increasingly common, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur when patients damage their

brains, leading to severe side effects and sometimes death. Doctors diagnose 1.7 million

Americans with TBIs each year, 52,000 of whom die, while another 1.6 to 3.8 million Americans

receive TBIs but never officially receive diagnoses (Goldsmith 9). Jolts or blows to the head

strong enough to generate impact to the brain by causing it to crash into the inside of the skull

create TBIs, also called concussions (16). The leading causes of TBIs consist of falling, getting

struck by an object, and car crashes (“Traumatic Brain Injury”). The likelihood of incurring TBIs

increases when playing contact sports, such as soccer or football, because athletes risk slamming

their heads into balls, the ground, or other objects (Goldsmith 26). TBIs cause headaches,

confusion, amnesia around the incident, nausea, fatigue, and hypersensitivity to light and noise

(19). Physicians use a variety of methods to diagnose patients with TBIs, including evaluations,

cognitive testing, and brain imaging. If during sporting events players believe they incurred a
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concussion, trainers perform evaluations on the sideline through a question-based test called the

Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 2 (39). Doctors also utilize the Immediate Post - Concussion

Assessment and Cognitive Testing (imPACT) for diagnosis, testing symptoms, memory,

processing speed, attention span, and reaction time in only 20 minutes (41). Before beginning

their initial games or practices, athletes should take the imPACT to utilize as baselines for

comparison to future tests (40). In severe TBIs, neurologists employ advanced brain imaging

tools, such as computed tomography scans or magnetic resonance imaging, to test for critical

issues, including brain bleeding (Kumar et al. 75). As diagnostic methods advance, researchers

continue to discover new treatment options.

Although physicians cannot currently cure traumatic brain injuries, patients can receive

treatment for their symptoms through conventional and advanced methods. Doctors initiate the

conventional method of treating concussions by instructing patients to rest and prescribing

medication to ease symptoms (Goldsmith 41). Though not a cure, advanced TBI therapy

encompassing neurofeedback and heart rate variability biofeedback treats concussions more

effectively, especially TBIs creating long-lasting symptoms. Neurofeedback training utilizes

brain mapping to target the core cause of the symptoms, primarily coherence and power

(Thompson et al. 19). As TBIs also affect heart rate variability, biofeedback helps patients regain

constant heart rates (20). Though concussions generally detrimentally affect lives, some TBIs

transform lives in surprisingly positive ways.

In rare situations termed sudden savant syndrome, TBIs can turn into miracles as people

suddenly become extremely talented at something they never previously experienced. Caused by

damage to the left anterior frontal lobe of the brain, sudden savant syndrome creates geniuses
 Neal 14

and musical prodigies (Minkel). In one example, Derek Amato leaped over the pool’s edge to

catch a football but landed head first into the bottom of the shallow end (Brogaard & Marlow).

His friends rushed him to a hospital where a physician diagnosed him with a concussion and sent

him home to rest and recover (Brogaard & Marlow). Days later at a friend’s house, Amato

suddenly felt the urge to play the piano even though he never previously played (Brogaard &

Marlow). Instantly after sitting at the piano, Amato’s brain instructed his fingers and he played

like a musical prodigy (Brogaard & Marlow). The TBI sparked neurological changes bestowing

him with a remarkable ability. Similarly, a ball struck Orlando Serrell in the side of his head

during a baseball game (“How an Accident”). Though he had a piercing headache, Serrell

refrained from telling his parents and never received medical treatment. A year later after his

headaches eased, Serrell realized the accident endowed him with the special talent of calendar

circulating (“How an Accident”). Impacted by sudden savant syndrome, Serrell remembers every

detail about every day since the accident, like what clothes he wore or what he ate (“How an

Accident”). Researchers continue to search for cures for neurological disorders and to provide

treatments for chronic diseases.

Neurologists may look forward to an ever - changing, exciting career with a multitude of

advancements in diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders. While the field progressed

in the last several hundred years since Thomas Willis, neurological researchers continue their

strides toward finding cures for ADHD, Parkinson’s, MS, TBI, and many other conditions. If

advancements continue at the same pace, imagine what opportunities for discovery neurologists

will see during their careers and in the next several hundred years with generations of new

neurologists.
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