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Neurologists

Under the title Neurologists, workers diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus. O*NET rates it as extensive preparation, which usually means graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. It leans on active listening, speaking, and social perceptiveness. Expect to interview patients to obtain information, such as complaints, symptoms, medical histories, and family histories. Interest ratings put Investigative on top at 7.0 out of 7 and Social second, so the code is ISR and the day leans toward research, analysis and working through hard problems. People who want research, analysis and working through hard problems usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus.

Main tasks

  • Interview patients to obtain information, such as complaints, symptoms, medical histories, and family histories.
  • Examine patients to obtain information about functional status of areas, such as vision, physical strength, coordination, reflexes, sensations, language skills, cognitive abilities, and mental status.
  • Perform or interpret the outcomes of procedures or diagnostic tests, such as lumbar punctures, electroencephalography, electromyography, and nerve conduction velocity tests.
  • Order or interpret results of laboratory analyses of patients' blood or cerebrospinal fluid.
  • Diagnose neurological conditions based on interpretation of examination findings, histories, or test results.
  • Prescribe or administer medications, such as anti-epileptic drugs, and monitor patients for behavioral and cognitive side effects.

Skills

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Complex Problem Solving

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on active listening and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 2.1 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ISR takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Doctoral Training. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Adult and Pediatric Neurologist
  • Adult Neurologist
  • General Neurologist
  • Neurologist
  • Pediatric Neurologist

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.