Neil A. Busis, MD

I come from a family dedicated to public service. My grandpa Dave came to this country at age 17 speaking no English. Four years later, he earned his degree in pharmacy and became active in the community. My father Sidney, a devoted and beloved otolaryngologist, cared for generations of families in Pittsburgh. When I was a kid, people would ask me, “Do you want to be a doctor like your dad?” and I always said, “Sure!” It never occurred to me that I would be anything else.

During my freshman year of college, I took a philosophy course that stoked my interest in psychology and, ultimately, neuroscience. I spent much of my senior year working in the neuroscience laboratory of the future Nobel Prize laureate Paul Greengard, whose work illuminated how nerve cells in the brain communicate with one another.

At NYU Langone, I see people who have all types of neurologic conditions. I’m particularly interested in disorders of nerves and muscles that cause weakness or numbness or tingling. New patients rarely come with a label. I enjoy making the diagnosis and consulting subspecialists throughout the organization. Patients receive the best possible care when members of the clinical team collaborate.

The most important part of the patient encounter is taking a medical history. I like to ask open-ended questions, even if it takes a little longer. Not only do people provide the details to firm up a diagnosis, but they disclose what’s important to them now and what their goals for treatment look like. Having those discussions, as well as listening closely to what they value, is crucial for optimal care, especially if someone has a serious neurologic illness.

As associate chair of technology and innovation in the Department of Neurology, I am committed to expanding the use of video doctor visits to help diagnose and monitor neurology patients. Much of my research focuses on ways to improve these teleneurology visits.

I am the proud recipient of the American Academy of Neurology’s 2021 President’s Award for outstanding service to the academy and the profession of neurology. Collaborating with the academy has allowed me to work on many health policy issues.