The Neurocritical Care Fellowship program at Upstate is designed to meet or exceed the core requirements as specified by the United Council of Neurological Subspecialties and Society of Critical Care Medicine.

It is one of the first UCNS-certified programs, providing comprehensive training in the management of neurological and neurosurgical patients requiring critical care. 

The program is accredited by the ACGME and to apply applicants must be graduates of an ACGME accredited residency program. See information below.

The fellowship program offers three tracks based on candidate's prior training:

1. 24-Month track for candidates who are graduate of ACGME-accredited residency program in Neurology, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Pediatric Critical Care or Child Neurology.
2. 12-Month track for graduates of ACGME-accredited post-graduate fellowship training in Anesthesia Critical Care, Surgical Critical Care, or Internal Medicine Critical Care.
3. 12-Month track for current resident in ACGME-accredited Neurosurgery residency program (candidate must have completed at least 4 years of residency to qualify), where the 12-month neurocritical care fellowship is incorporated in the 7-year neurosurgery residency schedule.

Upstate Medical University Hospital is a Level I trauma center serving Central New York. It is one of the first hospitals in the region to get Stroke Center Certification, and the only Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region. The hospital has a new Neuroscience complex with 14-bed Neuroscience Critical Care unit, a 13-bed Neuroscience Stroke/Step-down unit including a 5-bed EEG monitoring unit.

Fellows receive supervised training in application of neurocritical care principles and procedural skills in the care of life-threatening neurological diseases. Fellows are trained in advanced hemodynamic assessment and monitoring using invasive and non-invasive techniques such as arterial and central line catheterization and cardiac output monitoring.

Fellows will have opportunities to develop expertise in advanced airway management including:

• endotracheal intubations
• ventilator management and Fiber optic bronchoscopies
• multimodality neuromonitoring including continuous EEG assessment and interpretation
• intraparenchymal brain tissue oxygenation/intracranial pressure monitor insertion and management
• external ventricular drain insertion and management
• transcranial Doppler applications and interpretations
• and other diagnostic and therapeutic technologies.

Elective rotations include:

• MICU/CCU
• SICU/Trauma,
• Pediatric ICU
• Emergency Medicine
• OR/Anesthesia
• Neurointerventional
• Stroke
• Research

Didactic lectures cover the core curriculum as outlined by the UCNS/SCCM and include formal and informal sessions. Regular journal clubs, case conferences, grand rounds and research lectures supplement the core curriculum to enhance clinical experience. Fellows are encouraged to tailor their fellowship experience based on individual career goals and objectives. Salary and benefit are commensurate to PGY level.

Curriculum for Critical Care Neurology Fellowship

Application Process

We participate in the electronic San Francisco match service and all candidates must register with the SF Match in order to submit a rank list.  Applicants can apply starting October 1st. We accept applications through April. Interviews are typically held between February and May. We take US citizens or permanent residents and J1 visa holders. We do not accept H1-b visas.

Application Requirements

1. Structured CV 
2. Letter of intent/Personal Statement
3. Three (3) letters of recommendation, one of these must be from your current and/or most recent Program Director.
4. USMLE Score Reports and ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
5. Certificate of completion of ACGME-accredited residency, if you have completed residency training at the time of application. (A letter from the Program Director indicating the expected matriculation date of residency may suffice if still in training).

For information or verification of training for a former fellow (prior to 2023) of the Neurocritical Care program please contact:                                                                                                                            

Neurology Education Office 
SUNY Upstate Medical University, Department of Neurology
750 East Adams St.
Syracuse, NY 13210
Fax: 315-464-5355
Email:  [email protected]  

Verification of training for graduates of the program after 2023 are handled by the Graduate Medical Education office:

Graduate Medical Education Office
Phone: 315-464-8948
Email:  [email protected]