Professional developments courses that will take place each morning during the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association in San Diego offer special opportunities to learn about the rewards and challenges of different career options for neurologists and researchers in academic neurology from those who have gone down a variety of careers paths themselves. Three courses each morning are geared specifically for students, residents, post-docs, and fellows, as well as for professionals at early-, mid-, and university-chair career levels.
For students, residents, post-docs, and fellows
On Oct. 15, young neurology scholars will begin the course with a discussion on the transition from neurology resident to fellow, and then career pathways as a basic scientist, a clinical scientist/researcher, and clinician-administrator. Last year’s recipients of the Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award also will provide insights on successful early careers in academic neurology.
Global Health has many opportunities for individuals who are looking at potential career paths in neurology to conduct research, clinical care, or educate others in low- to middle-income countries. Speakers on Oct. 16 will share their experiences and discuss emerging trends in global health in neurology and ways in which individuals might pursue careers or opportunities that complement pursuits in academic neurology.
A workshop on Oct. 17 will focus on the essential skills needed for a successful job-seeking experience in academic neurology. There will be opportunities to practice interviewing and negotiating skills, as well as to learn how to market your research and abilities when the opportunity strikes and time is limited.
For early- to mid-career levels
Finding a niche and a successful career trajectory takes a good deal of planning and taking opportunities when the time is right. On Oct. 15, several mid-career level academic neurologists will share their career trajectories and alternative methods they have used for obtaining support and funding for their clinical research, educational enterprises, and curricular development.
The Oct. 16 career development course will outline methods for setting milestones for career development and finding the resources and mentoring individuals you will need for career advancement.
To learn skills and discover tools that will help to write successful grant proposals, particularly for the National Institutes of Health, come to the session on Oct. 17. You can learn how to develop your grant application, respond to critiques of your application, and hear about a variety of sources of funding.
For university chairs of neurology
At a time in which funding for salaries is hampered by many factors, salary disparities are changing across subspecialties as well as in different faculty positions, with some disparities widening and others shrinking. Come to the career development course on Oct. 15 to learn about novel revenue sources and ways in which you can best subsidize the salaries of faculties in your department as well as offer nonmonetary compensation.
Given the current uncertainties of the fates of Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and other major systems supporting health care, it is important to know the best approach to take in advocating for academic neurology and your department’s needs. At the course on Oct. 16, come learn about current health policy issues and the political climate and determine how and when to be politically active.
To understand the impact that the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) requirements will have on academic neurology, come to the session on Oct. 17. You’ll learn how population health measures and value-based care can be brought into an academic neurology practice, how to report on quality measures in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, and how to participate in Advanced Alternative Payment Models.