Neurology is an art, said Dr. Bret Lindsay, who has seen major advancements in his field over his 30-year career as a neurologist.  

"We have much better tools to confirm the diagnoses, then there's a number of new treatment options. I think assigning the treatment option that's best for the patient is kind of where the art comes in," Lindsay said. 

The Montana Medical Association has recognized Lindsay's decades of service through its 2026 Healthcare Honors Award of Merit, which was established in 1975 to honor individuals whose actions have contributed to the betterment of healthcare in Montana. 

When it comes to his practice, Lindsay said his gestalt is to listen hard to patients and try to do the right thing.  

"If you do that, you can help someone every day," he said. 

Lindsay said he's honored to receive the award, which he didn't know about until the list of recipients was announced. He was nominated by a fellow neurologist at Logan Health.  

"It's not going to change how I practice neurology or neuroimaging, but I think it is affirming to have your 30 years of service recognized," he said.  

Lindsay was born in Helena but moved to the Flathead Valley with his family when he was six months old. When it came time for college, he made the move to California, where he first became interested in neuroscience.  

He received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Riverside, before earning a master’s degree in neurophysiology from Montana State University. He went on to earn his medical degree at the University of Washington through the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho medical education program, also known as WWAMI.  

He completed his internship at Virginia Mason Medical Center, as well as a neurology residency at Stanford University Medical Center and a neuroimaging fellowship at the Dent Neurologic Institute in New York. 

Before college, he'd only taken biology courses, so once he was introduced to it, the only system that really captured his interest was the nervous system.  

"Neurology is sort of the final frontier for our knowledge of the human nervous system and how we treat diseases of the nervous system," he said. 

Lindsay said he was also fortunate to spend time during medical school with two talented Kalispell-based neurologists. 

"Dr. Robert Schimpff and Dr. Patrick Burns [were mentors to me] as well as a gifted neuropsychologist, Dr. Ed Trontel, who all influenced my decision to pursue neurology and neuroimaging," Lindsay said.  

Looking back on his career and years in school, he can remember when groundbreaking technology like magnetic resonance imaging, or MRIs, entered the picture.  

In an organic chemistry class at the University of California, Riverside as a junior, he first heard about nuclear magnetic resonance — used to identify and analyze organic compounds in the body. The technology would become the basis for MRIs.  

"They were talking (in class) about some different rumblings in our life that NMR made. It's applicable to anything in human beings, particularly the brain. And then literally within five years or so it became widely utilized in the neurosciences," Lindsay said.  

MRI is the "most compelling diagnostic tool" neurologists have, he added. Over the course of his career, he saw the technology radically change the way they diagnose neurological conditions.  

With major investments in research for the neurosciences over the last few decades, he is anticipating more medical breakthroughs over the next 10 to 15 years.  

"We may have much better treatments for many of our diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's disease ... many of the genetic disorders that we contend with. We hope for cures for [multiple sclerosis] and other neurologic diseases," he said. "There's a lot of things on that horizon, with active research programs going on throughout the country that are exciting."  

Recruited to come back to Montana in the 90s, Lindsay got a job at Kalispell Regional Hospital, now Logan Health. Over the years, he's said the hospital has attracted really good physicians to its neurology department, particularly in the subspecialty realm. He enjoys getting to work alongside such a capable team.  

Practicing medicine in his hometown is pretty special, too. 

"I love the people in Montana. I think they're unique and interesting and extremely friendly. So to be able to come back home and use my education to help people has been very rewarding," he said.  

In addition to his work as a physician, Lindsay shares his passion for neurology as a mentor to University of Washington medical students during their month-long neurology clerkships, providing hands-on experience and insight into the specialty. 

Lindsay's recognition also reflects the purpose of MMA’s Legacy 150 initiative, which honors physician contributions and invests in Montana medicine as the association approaches its 150th anniversary in 2029, according to the organization.  

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.