I’ve been a member of The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) for maybe half a dozen years. It’s the primary professional organization for those in the field of neurology and its website states it’s the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals. They conduct and report a ton of important original research and publish a ton of fantastic scientific journals, including Neurology, Neurology Clinical Practice, Brain & Life and many more. They engage in advocacy, education, clinical trials and hundreds of other awesome things. The organization understandably has some strict criteria for admission. Typically one needs education in the field and for those higher up in job title/role, typically an MD specializing in neurology, neuroscience, etc., and typically “X” years of practice, as well as other criteria. Their highest status is a FAAN — Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. Naturally that’s what I wanted but check out their FAAN Application Requirements. Are you sure you got all that?

While there are different types and levels of membership, there are what I’d think are two that are especially prestigious. The highest is the FAAN or course. But AAN also has a rare special category for those with excellent qualifications but perhaps lacking in an area required for a FAAN status, such as a terminal degree in a different field, but might otherwise qualify. In some cases, such people can apply for Researcher status, formerly termed Research Scientists, and the admission criteria is also quite steep. I can’t remember the criteria as it was years ago, and I can’t easily find it. But that is my title as a member. I’m a Researcher (Research Scientist) with the AAN. And don’t think that was easy. In addition to the education and experience I had, I studied and read so many dozens of badass books, like the Big One — Mtui’s Fitzgerald’s Clinical Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience, Slotnick’s Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory, Greenberg’s Clinical Neurology, Agarwal’s Neurosurgery Fundamentals, Dayan’s Theoretical Neuroscience: Computational And Mathematical Modeling of Neural Systems and over 75 other such tomes, most averaging 500 pages, many of which I’d read for fun over the years because I find the field and subject so interesting. (Nerd!)

I had to prove and do many other things too. One of the hardest was putting together an original research plan/proposal that was detailed and would be approved. Fortunately I had been doing some initial independent research in what I wanted my research area to be for several years and as far as I knew, no one had taken my proposed angle on the area, so I went with that and long story now coming to an end, I was somewhat shocked and delighted to be accepted as a member and at Researcher status, and I’ve remained one ever since. I think that despite too much education, and several degrees including a terminal degree, the simple fact I lacked an actual MD wouldn’t have allowed me to even be considered for the higher status (plus you have to be a member for 7+ years before you can apply).

Anyway, I hadn’t planned on writing all that. I was just thinking back to all I did to support my application, and how it felt tougher than getting my first graduate degree. It’s not the only professional organization of which I’m a member, and most all have some vetting process (including a couple with even tougher standards for admission — one required both an MD and PhD and much more!), but it’s one of which I’m especially proud.

So the point of this post was simply to show a couple of pics, which I’m now getting to. Big deal? Not really. Still, when I was paying for my 2025 membership dues in January, I noticed AAN finally had a little merch, so I decided to get AAN apparel — a ball cap and polo shirt with the logo — and it arrived yesterday, fits well and I’ve got a need to show it off! No one I know in real life will see, so those of you who run across this post can see and then, well, that’s that, eh? Without further ado,