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Mar 30, 2009

Careers in Health and Medical Sciences

Category: postSecondary

Posted by: webmaster

Neuroscience is the study of the structure, development and function of the nervous system.  Research in this field may range from studies at a molecular level (e.g., understanding how to isolate and describe genes that produce the proteins for critical neural functions) to studies at a behavioural level (i.e., understanding a patient’s neural state based on external or psychiatric observations).  Significant research resources are also committed to advancing technology, such as medical imaging and electron microscopy, in order to improve the ability to study the nervous system. Applications of this science include preventing or finding cures for psychiatric disorders and neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.

The field of neuroscience is multidisciplinary and consists of a variety of career options, including:

• Neuroanatomist / Neurobiologist: studies the physiology and anatomy of the nervous system.
• Neurochemist: studies the chemistry of the nervous system.
• Neurosurgeon: performs surgery on the brain or other nervous tissue.
• Neuropharmacologist: studies the effects of drugs on the nervous system.
• Neuropsychologist: studies relationships between the nervous system and human behaviour.
• Neuropathologist: studies neurological diseases.
• Developmental neuroscientist: studies how the brain grows and changes.
• Behavioural / cognitive neuroscientist: studies high-level neural functions such as perception, learning and memory.
• Clinical neuroscientist: applies research findings to prevent and treat neurological disorders.
• Electroneurodiagnostic / Electroencephalograph technician: operates specialized equipment to record electrical activity of the nervous system.
• Nurse: specializes in caring for patients, including those with neurological disorders.

Neuroscientists may teach in universities (e.g., medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing or veterinary schools), work for hospitals or medical centers, as well as conduct research or take on lead positions in government laboratories, private research foundations or private sector companies (e.g., pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical).

Entry level positions (e.g., technicians) require an undergraduate degree, while advanced positions generally require graduate-level studies in neuroscience.  Prospective neuroscientists come from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds, such as psychology, zoology, physics, anthropology, biology, chemistry, physiology or philosophy.

References / Select Universities Offering Programs in the Field of Neuroscience

Aga Khan University Hospital
Neurology Residency Program -  a three-year program which includes training in clinical neurophysiology, neurosurgery, neuroradiology and psychiatry.

Baylor College of Medicine
Department of Neuroscience
Program in Developmental Biology

Boston University
Center for Neuroscience

Brown University
Department of Neuroscience

Harvard University
Department of Neurobiology

John Hopkins University
Undergraduate Neuroscience Program

McMaster University
The McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study

University of Alberta
Centre for Neuroscience

University of Toronto
Program in Neuroscience

Select Professional Associations in the Field of Neuroscience

American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
Canadian Association for Neuroscience
Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation

Additional Resources

Neuroscience Canada
Careers in Neuroscience

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