| Popis: |
The article by Elan Louis1 in this issue of Neurology® makes imaginative use of old, largely forgotten files stored at American Academy of Neurology (AAN) headquarters: correspondence concerning the rejection of applications for membership during the founding days of the Academy (1947–1953). He found that neurosurgeons and psychiatrists were often unwelcome in the Academy and presents evidence that it was their specialty that led to rejection, not their lack of academic qualifications. To the initial 3 categories of neurologist members of the AAN described by Dr. Louis—namely, Active, Junior, and Fellow—was added a fourth, Associate, which included other non-neurologist specialties, particularly psychiatry/neuropsychiatry and neurosurgery. Dr. Louis documents that despite the stated aim to be nonelitist, the AAN accepted almost all neurologists but often rejected the applicants from the other 2 specialties. |
