About the Residency Program

The Neurology residency program at Upstate Medical University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) on a 5-year cycle, the maximal cycle length awarded by the ACGME prior to its conversion to the Next Accreditation System. We are a categorical program offering 9 positions per year.

Faculty Subspecialties

Our faculty subspecializes in:

Epilepsy
Headache/Pain
Neurocritical care
Vascular neurology
Movement disorders
Multiple sclerosis/neuroimmunology
Neuromuscular
Neuro-ophthalmology/otology
Sleep medicine
Pediatric neurology
Behavioral Neurology

Program Highlights

9 Educational Conferences per week
Inpatient Stroke, Consult and General Neurology Services have 4pm Sign out so residents can complete their work in a timely manner.
Dedicated Neuro ICU rotation
Outpatient week Every 5 weeks (combination of Continuity Clinic, VA clinic and Selective Clinics)
Ample Elective Time

Excellent Fellowships

Our graduates obtain excellent fellowships in the sub-specialty of their choice. Several of our graduates have continued fellowship training here at SUNY Upstate in our Clinical Neurophysiology, Epilepsy and Vascular Neurology Fellowship Programs.

Recent Fellowship Placements

Other recent graduates and current residents have secured fellowships as follows:

Clinical Neurophysiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Clinical Neurophysiology at Brown University
Clinical Neurophysiology at Barrow Neurologic Institute
Endovascular at University of Pittsburgh
Epilepsy at University of Pittsburgh (2 recent graduates)
Neuromuscular Medicine at Duke University
Neuromuscular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN
Neuromuscular, University of North Carolina
Neuro ICU at Massachusetts General Hospital
Neuro ICU at University of Texas, Southwestern
Neuro ICU at University of New Mexico
Vascular Neurology at Yale-New Haven Hospital
Vascular Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL
Vascular Neurology at Cleveland Clinic
Vascular Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital

Major Hospital & Outpatient Clinic Rotations

Residents rotate to two major hospitals in Central New York, Upstate University Hospital, and Syracuse VA medical center. Both have a large patient referral base with interesting and diverse pathology.

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Upstate University Hospital

Upstate University Hospital is:

A New York State Designated Upstate Stroke Center
The Region's FIRST Level 1 Comprehensive Stroke Center (AHA Gold Plus Award)
Level 4 Epilepsy Center
Level I Trauma Center

Inpatient services at Upstate University Hospital include a dedicated Neuro-ICU service, staffed by Neuro-ICU trained Neurologists and Neurosurgeons. We also have a dedicated stroke service, a general neurology/consult service and a pediatric neurology service. The busy neuro-intensive care unit, inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit and neuro-intervention program offer residents unique clinical experience in managing common and challenging neurologic conditions.

In addition, experience with prolonged epilepsy monitoring at our Epilepsy Monitoring Unit is available through our affiliate hospital, Upstate University Hospital at Community Campus just across town.

Our Headache Center is located in East Syracuse and provides a comprehensive outpatient care center including opportunities to train in headache procedures (Botox, Occipital Nerve Blocks, Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks) and provide infusions for acute headache management outside of the hospital setting. Residents will need to use public transportation, taxi/Uber or drive their own vehicle to get to this site.

University Health Care Center/VA Medical Center

The residents have continuity of care clinic at University Health Care Center and a general Neurology Clinic at the VA Medical Center. The residents clinic schedule is built into the rotation schedule, as a one week block of clinic every six weeks. During the clinic week there is continuity of care clinic each day for 1/2 of the day. Residents select a sub specialty clinic they would like to do during the other 1/2 day and each clinic week the residents recieve one 1/2 day off free from duty to attend to personal needs.

Outpatient Electives

Outpatient electives are available in:

Neuro-ophthalmology
Movement Disorders
Dementia
Multiple Sclerosis
Headache/Pain
Neuromuscular Disease
Epilepsy and Sleep Disorders

Program AIMS

The AIMs of our program are to:

AIM 1 — Develop and maintain a well-structured training environment that balances learning and clinical work such that residents develop skills necessary to care for a large volume of patients with high acuity and diverse pathology.
AIM 2 — Train residents to develop habits that promote wellness and resiliency and to recognize and address burnout in themselves and others.
AIM 3 — Model, teach and recognize high levels of professionalism in a learning environment that is collegial and supportive.
AIM 4 — Develop leadership skills in resident and fellow trainees, preparing them to assume leadership roles in a variety of work environments.

Dr Bradshaw and PGY4 Bhavya Narapureddy presenting at AAN 2022

Leadership Team

Together, the SUNY Upstate Neurology Residency Leadership Team brings diverse clinical and administrative expertise, ensuring excellence in neurology education and training.

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Jenny Meyer, MD

Program Director
Department of Neurology
UHCC 90 Presidential Plaza,
Syracuse NY 13202

Dr. Jenny Meyer is a native of Syracuse. She joined the neurology faculty in 2018 and became program director in July of 2022. Dr. Meyer is a graduate of Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. Dr. Meyer received her MD degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University’s College of Medicine in 2013. She completed her Neurology Residency at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center in 2017. Dr. Meyer completed a fellowship in neuromuscular medicine at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center in 2018. Dr. Meyer is involved in clinical trials and currently is site investigator in patients with post-polio syndrome and ALS. Her interests include neuromuscular medicine, fantasy novels, hiking and alternative rock music.

Elena Schmidt, MD

Associate Program Director
Department of Neurology
University Hospital
750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210

Dr. Schmidt completed medical school in Romania and received her degree in 2004. She completed her Preliminary Year of Medicine, Neurology Residency, Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship and Neurocritical Care Fellowships at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Upon completion of training Dr. Schmidt joined the faculty in January 2017 as a Neurocritical Care attending.

Mary E. Phelan, BS, C-TAGME

Education Administrator
Department of Neurology
1011 Jacobsen Hall
750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210

Mary Phelan is a native of Upstate New York. She worked in the airline industry for over 20 years prior to joining Upstate. She started in the Research Administration Office in 2002 and joined the Department of Neurology in 2005 as program coordinator for the neurology residency. In 2007 fellowship programs were added. In 2013, Mary became the Education Administrator for the education programs in Neurology. In 2009, Mary took the TAGME (Training Administrators of Graduate Medical Education) certification examination and was recertified in 2014 and 2019.

Mary was the recipient of the Institution's Excellence in Graduate Medical Education Program Coordinator of the year award in 2012. In 2016, Mary received the program coordinator recognition award from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). Mary was the receipient of the Campus Employee of year in 2021. Her interests are streamlining program processes, travel and spending time with family.

Education Team

The Neurology Education Team enhances resident training through comprehensive educational programs, personalized mentorship, and research opportunities that contribute to their professional growth and expertise.

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Luis Mejico, MD

Professor and Chair of Neurology

Welcome to the Department of Neurology at SUNY Upstate. I am sure you will have an enjoyable albeit busy 3 years with us. The entire faculty are eager to teach, your resident colleagues are friendly and capable, and we all work hard to make sure that as a team we provide the best possible care to our patients.

At Upstate, you will find a variety of opportunities to enhance your training. Beyond your required rotations, there are infinite possibilities for electives, either here or at other institutions. We also are committed to providing research opportunities within the context of specific rotations or longitudinally throughout your training. Although our faculty have significant clinical responsibilities, we are heavily involved in clinical research.

Over the last year, our Department had the 3rd most research funding of all the clinical departments at Upstate, even though we are quite small compared to many other departments. You will have opportunities to participate in clinical research in stroke, epilepsy, neuromuscular disease, and MS among other areas. The faculty are also available to work with you on projects related to your own interests, from case reports to more formal studies. Please feel free to meet with me personally or with any other faculty member about research opportunities. We are all happy you are here.

Luis Mejico, MD
Professor and Chair of Neurology

Deborah Young Bradshaw, MD

Vice Chair of Education
Department of Neurology
University Hospital
750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210

Having served as Residency Program Director for 16 years (2006-2022) has been the privilege of my professional life. Over that period, the department established a top-notch stroke service, a full-service Neuro-ICU run by neurologists, a several-fold expansion of the faculty and subspecialty clinics, and significant growth in the residency.

Every step of the way, we worked together to optimize the resident experience and workflow and maximize opportunities for our residents to learn from our rich and diverse patient population. The main reason for our success—resident engagement in program development. Residents are the “boots on the ground” of inpatient neurology. They know where the problems are and can quickly see potential solutions. I found that process of rapid problem-solving exhilarating and remarkably successful. The experience laid the foundation of my interest in physician leadership and sowed the seeds of the Leadership Academy.

The Leadership Academy recognizes that physicians become de facto leaders the moment they earn their medical degree, leading teams of students, peers and offering direction to patients and their families. However, medical education provides virtually no formal leadership training. The Leadership Academy is a 3-year curriculum for our neurology residents and faculty. Monthly interactive sessions teach leadership principles such as developing emotional intelligence, providing effective feedback, mentoring, and conflict resolution. Looking ahead to the next decade, I am excited to grow both our residents and our faculty through the Leadership Academy.

While program development traced the arc of the past 15 years, close one-on-one work with individual residents created its depth and richness for me. We strive to help each resident identify and build strengths while understanding and working on growth areas. Watching young physicians grow from excited but anxious interns into mature, efficient, and confident neurologists and leaders in just a few years never gets old; each young neurologist offers their unique spin on a story told again and again.

In the best education environments, learning occurs in all directions. Not only do faculty teach residents and students, but residents and students also teach faculty and peers teach one another. I learn from our residents every day, and I look forward to many more years of learning neurology with them. I am also eager to continue helping our faculty grow as educators and learners.

Welcome to Upstate Neurology, where you will experience exhilarating growth as you move toward becoming the best neurologist and leader that you can be!

Stipend & Benefits

The Department of Neurology offers residents a competitive stipend and benefits such as a subsidized resident membership in the American Academy of Neurology, stipends for educational expenses and travel, and educational leave time.

Neurology Residency Benefits

The department subsidizes resident membership in the American Academy of Neurology. This membership includes a subscription to:
- Neurology
  Official journal of the American Academy of Neurology
- Continuum
  American Academy of Neurology's self-study continuing medical education monograph
Stipends
- Each PGY-1 resident receives a $550 stipend for educational expenses.
- Each resident PGY-2 to PGY- 4 receives $750 stipend for educational expenses.
Educational leave
- PGY-2 residents receive 3 days of educational leave.
- PGY-3 residents receive 5 days of educational leave.
- PGY-4 residents receive 7 days of education leave.
Conference and meeting travel expenses
- Residents presenting as first author at national meetings receive department support for travel expenses of up to $1500. Residents can include the $750 stipend listed above for a total of $2250
- If a resident reaches the PGY-4 year and has not attended an educational conference $750 will be allotted to attend a conference.
Equipment
- Lab coats and pagers are provided
Certification and exam fees
- ENLS certification and re-certification fees
- Residency in-service exam fees
Other
- Lunch at 12n conference is provided 4 days per week.
- Residents have use of a suite with a lounge, kitchenette, computers, copier/fax/scanner.
Institutional Benefits
- BLS/ACLS certification
- Well-being resources
- On Call stipend
- See resident appointment for additional employee benefits

Helpful Links

CURRENT SALARIES Benefit Information Neurology Calendar Faculty and Staff Training Verification

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about our Neurology Residency program? Take a look at these frequently asked questions to learn more about our program.

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How do I find your program?

We are a categorical neurology training program offering 9 positions per year.

NRMP # 1516180C0

What's the application deadline?

The application deadline is November 1st.

Does your program accept International Medical Graduates (IMG's)?

Yes, qualified International Medical Graduates are encouraged to apply.

What qualifications do I need to apply?

Graduates of medical schools in the United States or Canada must have attended a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Graduates of U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine must have attended a medical school accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

Graduates of medical school outside the United States and Canada must have a current valid ECFMG Certificate and passing grade in the CSA examination from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. *Being ECFMG Certificate "eligible" pending Medical School Diploma will suffice.

What USMLE scores do I need to be considered?

We require a 1st attempt pass on all USMLE steps

Do you require a valid ECFMG Certificate prior to being granted an interview?

Preference is given to those whose files are complete (Step 1, 2CK and 2CS, ECFMG Certificate) prior to the 11/01 deadline. *Being ECFMG Certificate "eligible" pending Medical School Diploma will suffice.

Do you have a Medical School Graduation Date cut off?

Preference is given to those who have graduated within five years of the anticipated training start date. However we do take into consideration what the applicant has been doing since graduation and will consider if more than five years.

What type of visa is offered?

We will sponsor J1 visa, Permanent Resident, EAD. (H1B Visas and J2 Visas will not be sponsored)

Do you require US Clinical Experience?

US clinical experience is preferred, however it is not mandatory.

How do I verify residency or fellowship training?

Training verifications are handled by the Graduate Medical Education office.

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