Career Advisor's Background and Career Information

Background

Name: Ann Poncelet, M.D.
Career Advisor for: Neurology
Title(s): Associate Clinical Professor
Best way to contact (e-mail, phone?): ponce@itsa.ucsf.edu
Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees/Institutions: Colby College BA UCSF MD Mount Zion Hospital Medical Internship Stanford Medical Center Neurology Residency Mayo Clinic EMG Fellowship
Clinical Interests/Duties: Neuromuscular Disease EMG/NCS
Research Interests/Duties: Neurologic Complications of Rheumatologic Disease Peripheral Neuropathy Diabetic Neuropathy Neurocutaneous disease and itch Development of web modules for the neurology and psychiatry clerkships Educational research (transition survey)
Personal Notes or Comments: Married with a beautiful daughter Enjoy sailing, cooking, playing bass, ultimate frisbee

Career Information


1. What can students do in the 1st and 2nd years to explore and/or prepare for this career? Brain Interest Group (BIG) Brain/Mind/Behavior Many opportunities exist to do bench or clinical research within the department, either during the summer after first year or if the student chooses to take time off.

2. What common variations exist in the length/content of residency programs for this career? The standard neurology residency involved one year of internal medicine and three years of neurology. Those with academic interests often will do a post doc or a clinical fellowship after the neurology residency. Those have varying durations.

3. What common variations exist in this career after training? Academic with basic science Academic with clinical research Academic with focus on education Private practice HMO Industry (basic or clinical research) Workmans Comp or legal work Hospital administration Many subspecialties include neurovascular/neurointensivist, epilepsy, movement disorders, neurodegenerative disease, neuroimmunology and Multiple sclerosis, headache, pain management, neuromuscular disease, memory disorders and cognitive neurology, neurootology, neurooncology, addiction, neuroinfectious disease/AIDS, spine.

4. What is a typical work day for you (or someone else representative)? I am an academic neurologist with clinical, clinical research and educational roles. Every day is different but I will give an example. On mondays: 8-8:30 orient new clerkship students 8:30-12 EMG 12-2 administrative/educational activities 2-3 Patient call in hour 3-5 Clinical clerkship operations committee (chair)

5. What is the "culture" of this career? I don't know how to answer this. I have the personal opinion that neurology is the last speciality which relies heavily on the clinical examination. We manage chronic disease, similar to medicine. It lends itself to those with an academic interest as there is an explosion of new knowledge in the basic science which is changing the specialty. It ranges from very interventional (stroke) to outpatient based (neuromuscular).

6. How compatible is this career with raising a family? How is this different for men and women? This varies widely depending upon academic or not, which type of specialty (lots of call on neurovascular, more predictable for neuromuscular). It has worked out for my own family issues.

7. How important, individually, are each the following for admission to a competitive program:

a.Extra-curricular/volunteer work? Somewhat
b. Research/publications? Very important
c. Honors in third year? Very important
d. AOA? I am not sure, but I suspect it helps.
e. A sub-internship? Important
f. An externship? Only if it is in a location that is of special interest
to the student. It enables them to know if the program is right for them and visa versa.
g. (Other important elements to the application?)

8. What are the most important qualities or character traits for a person in this field? Clinical skill Compassion Research interest Teaching skill (to patients, students and refering physicians)

9. How competitive are the residency programs in this field? Varies from very competitive in the academic programs to very accessible for quality UCSF students.

10. How competitive is the job market after residency? Associate Clinical Professor

11. What programs would you consider to be in the 1st tier, 2nd tier, and 3rd tier? No good data available. I have a changing list I give to advisees with input from faculty, fellows and residents.

12. What resources (web, books, etc, besides the AMA and AAMC sites) would you recommend for students interested in learning more about this field? American Academy of Neurology has a website which may be helpful.