Headache care requires not only the ability to recognize potentially life-threatening secondary headaches but also the ability to accurately diagnose a wide range of headache disorders, including primary headaches, and guide patients toward treatments tailored to the difficulties they face in daily life. The first author has personally experienced migraine and medication-overuse headache and, as a neurosurgeon, previously did not sufficiently engage in headache care after secondary causes had been excluded by neuroimaging. The process of preparing for certification as a headache specialist broadened the first author’s diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives, provided an opportunity to reflect on previous clinical practice, and fostered an approach in which treatment goals are shared with patients. Drawing on the first author’s personal and professional experiences, this article discusses the significance of becoming a headache specialist, the practical process of learning headache medicine, and the changes in clinical perspective brought about by specialist training.
