Neurologists
Diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus.
Technology Tools
Key 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.
- Identify and treat major neurological system diseases and disorders, such as central nervous system infection, cranio spinal trauma, dementia, and stroke.
- Inform patients or families of neurological diagnoses and prognoses, or benefits, risks and costs of various treatment plans.
- Develop treatment plans based on diagnoses and on evaluation of factors, such as age and general health, or procedural risks and costs.
- Prepare, maintain, or review records that include patients' histories, neurological examination findings, treatment plans, or outcomes.
- Communicate with other health care professionals regarding patients' conditions and care.
- Counsel patients or others on the background of neurological disorders including risk factors, or genetic or environmental concerns.
- Interpret the results of neuroimaging studies, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans.
- Determine brain death using accepted tests and procedures.
- Coordinate neurological services with other health care team activities.
- Refer patients to other health care practitioners as necessary.
- Advise other physicians on the treatment of neurological problems.
- Perform specialized treatments in areas such as sleep disorders, neuroimmunology, neuro-oncology, behavioral neurology, and neurogenetics.
- Participate in continuing education activities to maintain and expand competence.
- Order supportive care services, such as physical therapy, specialized nursing care, and social services.
- Provide training to medical students or staff members.
- Prescribe or administer treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and deep brain stimulation.
- Supervise medical technicians in the performance of neurological diagnostic or therapeutic activities.
- Participate in neuroscience research activities.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
100%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
100%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
98%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
98%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
97%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
96%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
96%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
95%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
95%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
93%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
89%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
89%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
87%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
83%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
82%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
81%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
80%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
79%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
77%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
76%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
74%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
66%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
63%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
58%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
53%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
51%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
44%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
42%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
34%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
27%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
25%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
24%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
23%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
19%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
18%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
18%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
14%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
10%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
9%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
9%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
7%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
6%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
5%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
5%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
5%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
3%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
3%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
2%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
2%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
2%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
1%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
1%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
1%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Education
Post-doctoral training
Doctoral degree
Master's degree
Interests
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Work Styles
Work Values
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