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Experimental research tool. Not medical, career, or professional advice. No warranty. See methodology.

Child Neurology

Neurology of patients from newborn through adolescence.

What this specialty is

Child neurologists diagnose and manage epilepsy, neurodevelopmental disorders, neuromuscular disease, headaches, and acute neuro-emergencies in pediatric patients. Training combines pediatrics, adult neurology, and child-specific neurology, so the breadth is large. You see longitudinal continuity that adult neuro often lacks because patients age with you over years.

Lifestyle & practice

Mostly outpatient with EEG and acute consults. Hours are moderate (45 to 55 attending). Pay is on the lower end of subspecialist medicine but quality of life is generally favorable. Mostly academic and tertiary-center practice.

Common fellowship paths

EpilepsyNeuro-oncologyNeuromuscularStroke (uncommon)HeadacheNeurodevelopmental
Quick facts
Residency length
5 years (1 IM/Peds + 2 Peds + 3 CN)
Median comp
$250k to $300k
Resources to learn more

High-signal external links curated for residents and applicants.

Market· 2026 cycle (NRMP Match Results)

Positions

212

All applicants

211

Seats / app

1.00

Per-pool matched-applicant means· 2024 cycle

From NRMP Charting Outcomes 2024 (most recent biennial publication). Source PDFs: MD Seniors / DO Seniors / IMG. NRMP publishes Charting Outcomes every other year, so this should refresh in early 2026 with the 2025 cycle data.

PoolStep 1Step 2PubsResearchAOA %n
MD_seniors2302489.83.013.9115
DO_seniors2444.02.117
US_IMG2382394.01.53
Non_US_IMG22424710.82.412
Charting Outcomes match rates over time· 20182024 cycles

Per-applicant-type match rates and mean Step scores published by NRMP every two years. Each row is one applicant pool in one cycle. Step scores reflect what matched applicants in that cycle achieved, not what programs require today.

YearTypeMatch rateMatched (n)Step 1Step 2
2024MD_Senior98.3%115248
2024DO_Senior81.0%17244
2024IMG42.9%3239
2022MD_Senior97.7%84234247
2022IMG58.3%7227234
2020MD_Senior93.9%108233246
2020DO_Senior90.0%18231238
2018MD_Senior99.0%97233246
2018IMG56.3%18235242
Applicant pool mixture
PoolShare
MD_seniors78.2%
DO_seniors12.2%
US_IMG3.4%
Non_US_IMG6.1%