A map of neurology medical residency in Brazil in 2025: really a nation?

Abstract

Neurology is a medical specialty that involves the study of various pathologies recognized for their high prevalence, morbidity and mortality. To keep up with this epidemiological scenario, we need adequately-trained professionals, whose academic training has its fundamental stage in medical residency.

To characterize the existing medical residency programs (MRPs) in Neurology in Brazil in 2025, considering the availability of positions and the distribution of services throughout the country.

An active search was conducted for MRP announcements for 2025 using advanced online search tools between October 2024 and March 2025. The list of medical residencies and specializations available on the website of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology (Academia Brasileira de Neurologia, ABN, in Portuguese) was used as an initial reference.

A total of 50 calls for applications for Neurology for 2025 were evaluated, and 332 vacancies were found, offered by 101 different programs throughout Brazil. Overall, 51.81% of the vacancies (172 positions) were concentrated in the Southeastern region, with 30.72% (102 positions) located in the state of São Paulo. In total, 5 (18,52%) Brazilian states (Acre, Amapá, Rondônia, Roraima, and Tocantins), all in the Northern region, do not offer a Neurology MRP.

An unequal distribution of medical residency vacancies in Neurology in Brazil is evident, and this pattern converges with other realities of medicine in the country, repeating current patterns of distribution of physicians and neurologists.