If you go to the neurology clinic to see a neurologist and a doctor examines you etc would you assume this doctor was a neurologist or a GP?

I am a little shocked that it was a GP and not a neuro since I was referred to a neuro and in the neuro clinic

Are the two necessarily exclusive?

If they are in a neuro clinic and specialise in neurology they could still be a general doctor as well, and for a first visit it wouldn't surprise me if the doctor was more of a generalist trying to narrow things down.

It's not quite the same as being a neurosurgeon, and if you did see a neurosurgeon their only tool is a scalpel... (a bit hyperbolic, but you get the point).

I don't know, in other countries if you are sent to a neurologist you see a neurologist. I was never told it wasn't either

Then how do you know

Can be, but need not be exclusive, as a neurologist is by definition a GP as well. But a regular GP is certainly not necessarily a neurologist or neurosurgeon, or even a suitable replacement for someone looking for a consultation with a neuro- specialist. If my family doctor sends me to an orthopedic surgeon for back pain, and in the ortho- clinic I'm seen by yet another GP, I'd also ask myself WTF.

he didn't email back so I rang and they informed me there is no neuro by his name and eveutally it was explained he was only a GP. So no answer on my MRI and no further.

I know someone can have 2 titles, neuro/psy, endo/immune etc

He is just a GP, not dual trained and no one told me.

So I was referred to a neuro to by the GP to just see another GP who will "consult" their neuro team and then didn't reply.

Did you have the MRI at that appointment?

Possibly this doctor was just doing a health check and asking the basic questions before the MRI, then they'll pass it on to the neurologist.

I have the MRI pics and result, which has something not good, but they were going to consult "someone higher up' and get back to me wed. Obviously the guy I saw as a GP didn't understand the results.

I dont know where you went, but if you live close to Geneva both HUG and La Tour have excellent neurology departments.

At Chuv we had a less good experience, except Dr Bloch who is a neurosurgeon which I hope you wont need.

This was CHUV

sick of waiting for a reply from them. I can read the report, if they think the report is wrong they need to explain that better

Many GPs also have a or more speciality/ies- the two are not mutually exclusive. Someone may have trained in neurology, specialised in neurology, then decide, for whatever reason, to switch and become a GP.

he was only a GP but was in the neuro clinic. No one made me aware of this at that time

You have the right to change after all its your health!

It's not uncommon to to see a lower level medical person for an assessment before the specialists get involved and in fact unless it is very serious you might not personally meet the senior doctors at all. Annoying as hell but that's the way it often goes. Without knowing the full history of events I can't really comment more.

How did you ascertain this- did you ask for their detailed previous medical experience. I personally know many GPs both in UK, Switzerland, France, Germany, who have extensive experience in a certain field, then decided that they prefered General Practice.

A lot less risk being a GP than a neurosergeon. Neurosurgeons operate on peoples brain, whilst still awake, then it's easier to figure out if they have done something wrong

We are not talking about a neurosurgeon in this post, but a neurologist.

I know, however neurosergeon was mentioned by the second poster in the thread.

Most GPs here have a special interest and often have special training in a specialty. The GP with an interest in neurology might be well qualified.

As an aside, some gynecologists in CH are trained in either gynecological or breast surgery in addition to the usual ob/gyn.