Are Online Neurology Courses the Key to Understanding the Brain?

[babykoko]

Hey, I was wondering if any of you knew good online neurology courses a person could take? I'm really interested in the brain and want to become a neurologist later, so in order to begin my preparation i wanted to take online neurology courses, and then yeah. So, know of any?

 

[Dembadon]

Are you desiring an online (distance learning) education, or looking for resources?

For resources:

The link below will take you to MIT's website; there you will find a great deal of information regarding a wide range of topics:

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Brain-and-Cognitive-Sciences/index.htm

MIT is not the only institution to offer free learning materials online. If one were to Google, "OpenCourseWare," one would find other universities with similar initiatives. Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc.

Here is another website that you might find useful:

http://www.infocobuild.com/educatio...ology/biology-and-biological-engineering.html

Good luck to you!

Edit: Another link: http://www.infocobuild.com/education/audio-video-courses/psychology/psychology.html

 

[babykoko]

Thanx, it helped a lot
do u think they would allow a middle school student to enter?
and
do u know of any courses which they teach you, and you get a grade?
thanx

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you're in middle school, you don't have the background for these courses, I am afraid.

 

[babykoko]

do you know how i can get the background of these courses
such as what should i do in order to be allowed to enter these courses

 

[babykoko]

Oh, and i was wondering what the steps a person must take in order to become a neurologist and neurosurgeon.

such as types of schools, the qualifications to get into those schools, and how to get those qualifications

are there any tests i have to take?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Neurology is a branch of medicine. That means you need to

• finish middle school
• finish junior high
• finish high school
• finish college
• get into medical school
• and do well in the first couple years of medical school

and then you'll be ready to study it.

 

[babykoko]

is there anything i can do while in middle school and high school to prepare for med. school especially in the field of neurology

 

[babykoko]

What is the best neuroscience college in America

 

[chickenwing71]

Read what Vanadium 50 posted again. The first step is to do well in your math and science classes in middle school and high school, especially biology. High schools also typically offer classes in anatomy or psychology when you get there, both of which are helpful in neuroscience. So for now just focus on school, get good grades, and maybe do some reading about it. It's too early to worry about where you'll eventually go to college.

 

[weezilla]

I have to partially disagree about you being unqualified to study these free online courses. I do agree with focusing and doing well in your math and science courses (especially with doing extra problems and really examining the theories and reasons behind what you're learning). If you do this, you'll have a much easier time later.

That being said, if you can study some neuroscience while not losing concentration on your other courses, go for it. Many of the great minds of the 19th and 20th centuries exemplify that an interest in a specific topic at a young age can have great yields. Take it slow. You'll come across a lot of information that's foreign to you. Don't look up everything you don't know (it will take you forever). Pick out the foreign stuff that looks important to grasping the ideas. Go look those things up elsewhere. Practice your "research" skills and find things out on your own. All these things will help make you a better scientist.

Most importantly, stay consistent. I encourage studying neuro (or anything) starting at 20 minutes a day (repeating tricky stuff for two days in a row to help remember). Do it everyday, taking only one or two non-consecutive days off a week. You can up the time if you're comfortable with it. Just don't let yourself get burnt out.

Sorry for the long reply. I just don't like the idea of people saying someone isn't qualified to do something without a really good reason.

 

[Vanadium 50]

The "really good reason" is that he's in middle school.

 

[weezilla]

I don't think that's a good argument. The stuff that he would have the most trouble with is biology or biochemistry. He can at least start by learning the brain regions and what they do.

He's matured his logic skills by that age, so there's no reason why he can't learn introductory material?

 

[Math Is Hard]

He can at least start by learning the brain regions and what they do.

Sure. And I think something like this website is a more appropriate age/education level starting point.

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

Don't be put off by the "for Kids" in the title. It's an interesting and well-done site.

He's matured his logic skills by that age, so there's no reason why he can't learn introductory material?

Definitely. No one here is trying to discourage a beginner's interest. But I think these introductory materials should fit the age and education level.

Having mature logic skills does not magically give a middle-schooler the background knowledge of concepts expected to already be grasped for an introductory college level neuroscience course. Even well-prepared college students can struggle. Studying something one is not prepared for, having to constantly try to go back and figure out pre-requisite concepts, is a very inefficient way to learn. With self-study, it could also lead to getting those concepts wrong, something to be avoided at all costs. Ultimately, it could lead to so much frustration that the student loses interest in the subject. I see that as the worst possible outcome.

 

[weezilla]

Having mature logic skills does not magically give a middle-schooler the background knowledge of concepts expected to already be grasped for an introductory college level neuroscience course.

You're right about that. I think it's especially applicable to studies such as calculus, chemistry, or physics. And you're especially right about the chance of him losing interest due to frustration. That would be a very terrible thing. I remember the excitement of learning things that I felt were "above my level" when I was younger, and I suspect that's one of the things that lead me to love science so much.

And lastly, I agree that materials should fit the student's age level, but I personally learned little enough to make me feel like it was a very close to a waste of time. I venture that all situations are different. Ideally, I think it would be great if he would study some neuroscience and practice some of those research skills of self-learning--and it would only be great if he didn't get burnt out.

 

[Neuropsyc86]

I know this is a bit different, but I study neuropsychology and I absolutely love it. We observe children with autism and study patients with traumatic brain injuries, and I can't wait to graduate and start working. I created a website to help people find the right school and program for them in this field. Check it out here if you think this might work for you!

 

[MrDocat]

Neurology is a branch of medicine.

I find this confusing. The brain itself is a giantic neural network. In order to begin understanding it you'll need a great knowledge in many topics of science, including lots of chemistry, physics and math, which are not extensively covered in a med course. I wonder how one with no background on those will be able to actually develop the field. Maybe this is why our understanding is so limited.

 

[Mike H]

I find this confusing. The brain itself is a giantic neural network. In order to begin understanding it you'll need a great knowledge in many topics of science, including lots of chemistry, physics and math, which are not extensively covered in a med course. I wonder how one with no background on those will be able to actually develop the field. Maybe this is why our understanding is so limited.

Neurology =/= neuroscience. Neurologists are practicing physicians who specialize in diagnosis and treatment, they are not necessarily research scientists. Certainly, there are people who bridge the clinic and laboratory. But neurology is a medical specialty, first and foremost.

 

[Cardenio]

Neuroanatomy by Sidman and Sidman is an excellent guide to learn neuroanatomy.

Many of the textbooks for neurology are complex.

However, there exists an outstanding tool to learn neuroanatomy. Sidman and Sidman wrote an excellent programmed textbook entitled "Neuroanatomy." It was published in the 1960s and 1970s. You can probably access it through interlibrary loan. I used it several times to learn the topic.

 

[weezilla]

I find this confusing. The brain itself is a giantic neural network. In order to begin understanding it you'll need a great knowledge in many topics of science, including lots of chemistry, physics and math, which are not extensively covered in a med course. I wonder how one with no background on those will be able to actually develop the field. Maybe this is why our understanding is so limited.

You can still make good contributions to the field without a broad, integrated scientific background (where would we be without biologists, etc...), but I think the discoveries that will address the "understanding is so limited" problem are reserved for those who do have that broad background. A number of physicists go into computational neuroscience and the like.

To address the OP (if it hasn't been said already), neuroscience != neurology, but entry level neuroscience seems to be a good starting place. And you can always do both (MD,PhD).