Graduate training in neurology: implications of the current manpower debate

Despite a rapid increase in the number of neurology residents, the need for physicians who provide neurologic care will continue to exceed the number of available neurologists. Whether there will be a surplus of neurologists will depend more on the extent to which neurologists--and not other medical practitioners--will provide such care than on the degree to which entry into neurology residency programs can be restricted. Other manpower concerns for graduate training in neurology are that the quality of residency applicants may be declining, that some training programs may need substantial improvement, and that more teachers of clinical neurology are needed.