My experience working as a neurodiagnostic professional in my region is very unique and very rewarding.
Here in India, we have more flexibility to work across modalities and clinical settings because we have so many patient encounters and limited resources. For instance, I have assisted neurologists with the preliminary interpretation of EEG as well as performed evoked potentials (EPs), polysomnography, and nerve conductions studies (NCS) with EMG assistance.
In college, I trained under neurologists and professors to learn many neurodiagnostic procedures including routine and ambulatory EEG, short- and long-term telemetry, NCS, and EPs such as BAER/ VEP/ SSEP. Ultimately, I graduated in 2016 with a degree in Neurodiagnostic Techniques from Dayanand Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana, Punjab. With this experience, I was able to launch my career in 2017 at Dayanand Medical College Hospital as a junior neurophysiologist technologist in the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology.
Prior to obtaining my credential, I faced many challenges because in India it is hard to convince physicians outside of neurology of the importance of EEGs. After becoming an R. EEG. T., my value and influence in the neurodiagnostic field and the broader healthcare community increased. But it did not come without a lot of perseverance and networking.
In 2019, I applied and was accepted to take my R.E.T exam in Canada; however, due to COVID and various immigration issues, I was unable to travel there. The Canadian Board of Registration of Electroencephalography Technologists (CBRET)—especially Joanne Nickle and Susan McGregor—supported me as best they could, but the Canadian Embassy still refused my visa three times.
Fortunately, I connected on Facebook with Rebecca Clark-Bash, an EEG and IONM instructor. Rebecca visited India with Dr. Madhav Suri to teach a comprehensive EEG/EP course at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, Punjab. I met with both of them to discuss ways to improve neurodiagnostics in India. At Rebecca’s strong encouragement, I endeavored to become an R. EEG. T. She organized classes for me, and we started the application for the exam.
I am so grateful for ABRET, namely Tami Glisson, Janice Johnson, and Daniel Walbert, who answered all of my many emails and questions during this process. The exam fees and other formalities, like ASET CEUs, were the most difficult for me because in our nation wages are not like those in the US. Fortunately, the Global Organization of Health Education provided free ASET membership and Rebecca—along with many others in the US neurodiagnostic community—helped me navigate CEUs and board prep. For example, a month prior to my exam, Rebecca, Petra Davidson, J Jones, and Dr. Maggie Marsh Nation held intense study sessions with me to help give me the best chance possible to pass. ASET also granted me a scholarship that covered my exam fees and a three-month subscription to ABRET’s ASAP self-assessment program. Because I could not obtain my US visa, Rebecca work with ABRET to arrange for me to take my exam at the Prometric testing center in Gurgoan, Delhi, India.
My next goal is to become an NA-CLTM neuro-analyst and to earn the CNCT, R. NCST, and R.EP. T. I also keep an eye out for remote EEG jobs, but unfortunately, due to federal policies, most remote EEG companies in the US are unable to hire offshore. I hope this is something our industry can work with neuromonitoring companies to change, as it would only benefit the profession.
Finally, I am keenly interested in remaining engaged in US neurodiagnostic conferences for the poster presentations, workshops on nerve conduction and EMG, and the networking. I believe I speak on behalf of the international low- and middle-income neurodiagnostic community when I say that cross-collaboration is so beneficial to us. And further, any opportunity to offset or reduce the costs of registration, testing, and education is highly sought. I can attest that there are plenty of professionals in our international cohort who want to be certified but don’t have the support. If more had the support that I did, just imagine how we can elevate neurodiagnostic care worldwide.
