Neuro-ophthalmology and NANOS

Messages:
1
Joined:
08/08/2011

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hello OQ users,

This is Collin McClelland- the neuro-ophthalmology contributor to OQ.  Working with OQ users over the past 6 years has been helpful to me in many ways.  I have appreciated learning from OQ users how to be more effective in a teaching role (and maintaining some humor in the process).  Now I’d like to ask for advice / feedback.

I recently accepted the position of committee chairman of the YONO (Young Neuro-Ophthalmologist) committee of NANOS (North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society).  Among other things my job is to facilitate the integration of YONOs and interested potential YONOs into NANOS.

With that backdrop, would users consider providing input on a few of the following questions?

1. Have you ever considered attending NANOS?  Do you have any suggestions for how to make NANOS more accessible to ophthalmology residents?

2. Have you ever considered a career in neuro-ophthalmology?  What factors weighed in your mind for and against neuro-ophthalmology as a career?

#1 09/25/2018 at 05:43 PM
Guest
Anonymous

I think the biggest factors for someone going into any subspecialty (N-O) included are:

1. Experience with their mentors during fellowship
2. Lifestyle and compensation during one's career

I think many programs have poor N-O coverage which translates into a poor N-O experience for their residents.  Obviously, compensation is always on the mind for most trainees.  So ideas on how to supplement the income of neuro-ophthalmologists is a good idea :-)
#2 09/26/2018 at 04:05 PM
ET
Anonymous

C.M.
Hello OQ users,

This is Collin McClelland- the neuro-ophthalmology contributor to OQ.  Working with OQ users over the past 6 years has been helpful to me in many ways.  I have appreciated learning from OQ users how to be more effective in a teaching role (and maintaining some humor in the process).  Now I’d like to ask for advice / feedback.

I recently accepted the position of committee chairman of the YONO (Young Neuro-Ophthalmologist) committee of NANOS (North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society).  Among other things my job is to facilitate the integration of YONOs and interested potential YONOs into NANOS.

With that backdrop, would users consider providing input on a few of the following questions?

1. Have you ever considered attending NANOS?  Do you have any suggestions for how to make NANOS more accessible to ophthalmology residents?

2. Have you ever considered a career in neuro-ophthalmology?  What factors weighed in your mind for and against neuro-ophthalmology as a career?

I am from the UK.
I have thought of doing neuro-ophthalmology before. But that's because in my previous hospital, there was a consultant that I really looked up to and thought she was amazing and wanted to learn as much as possible from her. Somehow she makes things look so easy! And she seems to always know what to do! There is always a reason behind all her investigations, not just doing a blanket of test for everything. And somehow every case seems so interesting and there is a learning point in every case. 
Currently, I am doing a clinic of neuro-ophthalmology a week and I find it a struggle and I thought maybe neuro-ophth is not for me. I think guidance and teaching is important. If the consultant explains her thought process and reasoning, it will help with my understanding and also approach to patient problems. There is so much reading involved and I just feel that I know so little. 
I think it's a specialty that is really interesting because every patient is very different. At the same time, all the funny eye movement and visual disturbances that patient present with can be quite daunting. And patients can be rather vague with their visual disturbances and so can be difficult to work out the problem. There is the fear that maybe there is a tumour somewhere in the brain that I am missing! Should I scan today? or can it wait? or is this GCA?? But doing the neuro-ophth questions here did somehow spark a little interest in me again with all the good quality explanations and teachings here. So, I will give it more time before I decide against it and if I am still interested, will consider a fellowship in future. 
#3 09/28/2018 at 09:05 PM
Messages:
2
Joined:
02/11/2018

C.M.
Hello OQ users,

This is Collin McClelland- the neuro-ophthalmology contributor to OQ.  Working with OQ users over the past 6 years has been helpful to me in many ways.  I have appreciated learning from OQ users how to be more effective in a teaching role (and maintaining some humor in the process).  Now I’d like to ask for advice / feedback.

I recently accepted the position of committee chairman of the YONO (Young Neuro-Ophthalmologist) committee of NANOS (North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society).  Among other things my job is to facilitate the integration of YONOs and interested potential YONOs into NANOS.

With that backdrop, would users consider providing input on a few of the following questions?

1. Have you ever considered attending NANOS?  Do you have any suggestions for how to make NANOS more accessible to ophthalmology residents?

2. Have you ever considered a career in neuro-ophthalmology?  What factors weighed in your mind for and against neuro-ophthalmology as a career?

Hello,
      I  considere attending NANOS, because in my opinion neuro-ophthalmology is a highly demanding field of ophthalmology and many patients find no help at the right time  and unfortunately result in irreversible losses of health.
    I believe that neuro-ophthalmology and NANOS should be strongly promoted, because often, it is not known who should take responsibility for patients.

Thank you!
#4 10/02/2018 at 04:25 PM
Guest
Anonymous

Guest
I think the biggest factors for someone going into any subspecialty (N-O) included are:

1. Experience with their mentors during fellowship
2. Lifestyle and compensation during one's career

I think many programs have poor N-O coverage which translates into a poor N-O experience for their residents.  Obviously, compensation is always on the mind for most trainees.  So ideas on how to supplement the income of neuro-ophthalmologists is a good idea :-)
I agree 100% about mentorship paving the path towards neuro-op.  I had excellent mentors that led me to consider the specialty.  In terms of income, this is a problem for N-O and I'm still waiting to hear a good way to supplement income :)
Joking aside, one approach that is become more common is combining a career in N-O with comprehensive ophthalmology (continuing to do cataract surgery) or peds or oculoplastics.  N-O combines particularly well with peds and oculoplastics in terms of pathology.  The trouble for some is that they start out doing N-O but slowly transition away from N-O towards their other more lucrative practice.  That said, there are many outstanding neuro-ophthalmologists who have long, successful careers combining N-O with other specialties.  The key to staying sharp in N-O is carving out a minimum of 1.5-2 clinic days weekly for N-O patients.  According to those wiser than I, this is the minimum clinical time that must be dedicated to N-O to stay sharp clinically and feel comfortable managing N-O problems.
#5 10/03/2018 at 12:10 AM
Guest
Anonymous

P.M.18
Hello,
      I  considere attending NANOS, because in my opinion neuro-ophthalmology is a highly demanding field of ophthalmology and many patients find no help at the right time  and unfortunately result in irreversible losses of health.
    I believe that neuro-ophthalmology and NANOS should be strongly promoted, because often, it is not known who should take responsibility for patients.

Thank you!
Great!  Come join us at a future NANOS meeting please!
#6 10/03/2018 at 12:11 AM
Guest
Anonymous

ET
I am from the UK.
I have thought of doing neuro-ophthalmology before. But that's because in my previous hospital, there was a consultant that I really looked up to and thought she was amazing and wanted to learn as much as possible from her. Somehow she makes things look so easy! And she seems to always know what to do! There is always a reason behind all her investigations, not just doing a blanket of test for everything. And somehow every case seems so interesting and there is a learning point in every case. 
Currently, I am doing a clinic of neuro-ophthalmology a week and I find it a struggle and I thought maybe neuro-ophth is not for me. I think guidance and teaching is important. If the consultant explains her thought process and reasoning, it will help with my understanding and also approach to patient problems. There is so much reading involved and I just feel that I know so little. 
I think it's a specialty that is really interesting because every patient is very different. At the same time, all the funny eye movement and visual disturbances that patient present with can be quite daunting. And patients can be rather vague with their visual disturbances and so can be difficult to work out the problem. There is the fear that maybe there is a tumour somewhere in the brain that I am missing! Should I scan today? or can it wait? or is this GCA?? But doing the neuro-ophth questions here did somehow spark a little interest in me again with all the good quality explanations and teachings here. So, I will give it more time before I decide against it and if I am still interested, will consider a fellowship in future. 
Thank you for your insight. In residency I was torn between a career in cornea and a career in neuro-op.  Attending NANOS as a 2nd year resident really solidified my passion for neuro-op.  If you are considering neuro-op as a career you should definitely attend a NANOS meeting.  Even if you decide on an alternative career, you will love the didactics at NANOS... there are lots of great teachers and fascinating topics at the meeting.
#7 10/03/2018 at 12:13 AM
Guest
Anonymous

I'm a current PGY2 resident very interested in neuro-ophthalmology, but I feel that I'll likely want to have a surgical component to my practice. I would love to know what resources there are for navigating how best to efficiently combine N-O with peds or plastics particularly. 
#8 01/09/2022 at 11:52 PM
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