If both fields study problems with brain function, shouldn’t they be studied in unison? Shouldn’t a neurologist be a psychiatrist and vice versa?
In: 5
Its actually more normal to divide structural and functional problems in medicine than not.
Examples
– rheumatologist deals with immune or inflammatory joint issues, physiotherapist and sports medicine deals with function, orthopaedic surgeon deals with structure.
– cardiologist deals with heart function, vascular surgeon does the plumbing, electrophysiologist does the electrics.
– gastroenterologist deals with gut issues medically, surgeons with operative issues.
In light of this, the division of brain issues into behavioural / mental health issues for psychiatrist, functions effecting the nervous system to neurology, and surgical stuff to neurosurgeons makes sense.
The divisions get blurry across certain conditions, but generally conditions get sorted to the people with the skills best suited to deal with them, rather than strictly by system necessarily, and many conditions need multiple specialities working together – rheumatoid arthritis might be predominantly under a rheumatologist because they need to deal with the medications involved, but may need an orthopaedic surgeon to operate on badly damaged joints, for example.
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