Being an academic neurosurgeon or neurologist is difficult everywhere. In Chile this is getting harder for several reasons. We review the process behind research grant applications for funding in Fondecyt, the Chilean government research funding agency. The number of grants proposals submitted and approved by academic neurologist and neurosurgeons has decreased dramatically in the last few years. The main cause for this decline is we compete with basic scientists who present their projects to the Neurology-Neurosurgery category instead of their own kind. This unequal competition does not occur for the majority of other medical specialties. Research done by clinicians is of the paramount importance for maintaining and developing academic Neurology and Neurosurgery in Chile. We should be allowed to compete with other clinical peers for research funding. We are optimistic that we will be able to follow the tradition of academic excellence of our predecessors