Me: Hey, quick question: what format do you use for the write-up of a neuro exam?
Boyfriend: … Format?
Me: See, I’m working on my write-up. And in the “motor” category I usually list strengths for both flexion and extension of the major joints, then the same thing for DTRs. But it takes up a TON of space. Maybe I shouldn’t write them in list format? Is that how you usually do it?
Boyfriend: .. No.
Me: Oh, okay! How do you write it up, then?
Boyfriend: *scribbles* Here.
Me: Thanks, let’s see wha- …. “Cranial Nerves II-XII: Grossly intact“?
Boyfriend:
Me:
… I should probably just be thankful for his help with pathology.
Action Potential 
What your bf is saying is true for any non-neuro specialty. But if you are on a neurology rotation, you’ll have to write out everything that YOU were saying, potentially on a three page form. At least that’s what we had to do.
Love this! I agree with OMDG. I recently did neuro, and it was frustrating but necessary to write everything out. For motor, I would write 5/5 symmetrically in UE/LE if everything was normal, but write it in table format if there were any abnormalities. For reflexes, I would draw a stick person and write the strength of the reflexes on it.
Stickman is your friend. Use him (or her, if you want to be REALLY accurate) to indicate reflexes (put the number over the appropriate joint). Draw a table next to him with four columns: Right Sensory, Right Motor, Left Sensory, Left Motor. Put each of the spinal cord levels in the rows, and fill in out of 5 (there’s a scale for sensory that temporarily escapes me, but it also out of five).
Alternately, don’t do neurology 🙂