These physicians do not manage pregnancy, labor or the period just after delivery. Internal medicine is the area of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases in adults. Specialists are called internists. Some internists limit their practices to specific areas of internal medicine, such as allergies, diseases of the heart and blood vessels or disorders of the digestive tract. A neurologist specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of disorders of the brain and nervous system.
Pediatric neurologists are doctors with specialized training in children's neurological disorders.
A neurologist's educational background and medical training includes an undergraduate degree, four years of medical school, a one-year internship and three years of specialized training. Many neurologists also have additional training in one area of neurology such as stroke, epilepsy or movement disorders. Neurologists are principal care providers or consultants to other physicians. When a patient has a neurological disorder that requires frequent care, a neurologist is often the principal care provider. Patients with disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease or multiple sclerosis may use a neurologist as their principal care physician.