Neuro-ophthalmology and NANOS

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?

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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?

Click to show more

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 :-)

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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!

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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. 

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