The J. C. Richardson Lecture: Prospects for Canadian Medical Neurology

In 1975, medical neurology is a well established, viable, growing specialty in Canada. There are now almost 250 neurologists scattered across the country, congregated largely in the hospitals associated with our 16 medical schools. Neurology is a major component of the undergraduate curriculum in each of these schools, and the majority of schools are approved for postgraduate training in our specialty. The Royal College has certified an average of 18 new neurologists each year for the past five years. In our hospitals we work closely with our internist and neurosurgical colleagues and we receive the support of highly competent teams of neuropathologists, clinical electrophysiologists and neuroradiologists. We believe that we provide a generally high standard of consultation service to our medical and surgical colleagues. We accept direct responsibility for patients suffering from a host of acute neurological problems, but we accept long term responsibility for very few. We do a great deal of teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In fact, the major role which neurology plays in undergraduate curricula, and the stimulus of postgraduate education, probably have been the two most influential factors shaping the number, work patterns and distribution of Canadian neurologists. Many of us are engaged in clinical investigation, but relatively few medical neurologists in Canada make fundamental research contributions.