Curriculum

PGY-1

The main goal of your PGY-1 year is establish a solid background in internal medicine. Your rotations will include general medicine inpatient at University Hospital and at the VA, MICU and electives. We recommend electives in Cardiology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology, as there is a great deal of clinical overlap of neurology with these subspecialties.

Early in the year you will rotate for two weeks on the Stroke Service in Neurology and two weeks on the General Neurology Service. This will introduce you to your peers in the residency and will provide some basic knowledge and skill you will apply in later rotations: neurologic history and examination, basics of epilepsy and stroke management.

During the second half of your PGY-1 year you will spend 3 weeks on the Neuro-ICU service during the day time and then 2 separate blocks on Neuro ICU Night Float (3 weeks total). You will work side by side during ICU night float with a PGY-2 Neurology resident. You will have 1 week of ambulatory neurology. After completing this year, you will be ready to hit the ground running in Neurology.

Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine Residency

R-1 (PGY-2)

The R1 year brings immersion in clinical neurology. It is a busy and exciting year during which you will gradually become a neurologist.

You will rotate through each of the major neurologic services at University Hospital in 2-4 week blocks: Stroke, General and Neuro-ICU. You will have regular rests from inpatient clinical service in the form of assigned rotations in Neuroradiology, Psychiatry, Ambulatory Neurology and EEG.

Call

Initially, you will take short call approximately once/week (4 p.m.-9 p.m.) covering patients on the UH and VA ward services and taking direct admissions. You will then transition to the role of Junior Neurology Admitting Resident (NAR)working from 12 noon to 9pm to help learn stroke codes with senior resident in the Emergency Department, and cross-cover the ward services during the busy evening hours. You will have 3 2-week rotations on ICU-night float during which you cover all inpatients at UH

R1 residents take a 12-hour Saturday call shift (day or night) or a 12-hour Sunday daytime call roughly every 3 weeks.

You will have a 3 week rotation in Pediatric Neurology during your R1 year. This will prepare you to triage pediatric emergencies while on call.

After completing this year you will know how to recognize and manage neurological emergencies and know the basics of stroke, seizure, multiple sclerosis and headache management.

R-2 (PGY-3)

The R2 year provides you with intensive experience with triage and treatment of neurologic emergencies as well as extensive opportunity to explore the sub-specialties and choose a fellowship.

During the R2 year you also take on more challenging leadership roles such as the Neurology Admitting Resident, General Night Float, Stroke Senior and University Hospital Consult. During the l consult rotation you will evaluate and treat patients with neurologic complications of systemic disease, anoxic brain injury, complex epilepsies, functional neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders of the CNS and severe neuromuscular diseases.You will also takes charge of small inpatient services at the VA, working one-on-one with the attending, supervising one or more medical students.

Senior resident call responsibilities are split between the R2 and R3 residents. As a senior resident you will take 12-hour Saturday call approximately 1 in 10 weekends and 12-hour Sunday call 1 in 10 weekends.

R-3 (PGY-4)

During the third year (R3) you will hone your organizational and leadership skills and develop confidence recognizing and treating a wide array of neurological disease. The capstone rotation of the residency program is Service Chief on the Inpatient General and Stroke Services.

This challenging rotation provides you with experience supervising junior neurology residents, off-service residents, medical students and advanced practice providers.

Importantly, during your final year you will have the opportunity to fill gaps in your knowledge and experience by spending one month in the clinic working with subspecialty attendings in Movement Disorder and Dementia and another month concentrating on Neuro-ophthalmology and Neuroimmunology. As you approach graduation, you will be an experienced, efficient and confident neurologist.

Lead Residents

In 2018 a committee of residents and faculty met to update the Chief Resident selection procedure. In addition to supporting continued election of two supervising chief residents, the committee, recognizing the importance of leadership development for all physicians, initiated a program wherein all PGY-4 Neurology residents will assume one of 5 “Lead” roles during their final year of training.

The Chief Residents will have primary responsibility for supervision and scheduling but will also play a key role in education and will support their peers fulfill their leadership roles.

Research Lead: (one PGY-4)

Support and advice for all residents on their scholarly projects.
Support and advise faculty and residents on structure and content of Journal Clubs and Evidence-based Medicine Clubs
Facilitate a current "Faculty Project List"
Assist faculty delivering AAN EBM Course content when applicable
Facilitate June resident noon "Research Updates."
Provide in-service training to residents on such topics as "Navigating the IRB", "Redcap", "Slicer Dicer"
Demonstrate innovation in ways to promote resident scholarship

Quality Lead: (one PGY-4)

Attend Monthly Departmental Quality Committee meetings
Assist with M&Ms and Dr. Duleeps' monthly QI/PS conferences
Coordinate Quality Improvement Project teams
Attend UH Quality Meetings
Demonstrate innovation in ways to develop resident QI/PS education

Education Lead (two PGY-4s)

Organize (and deliver portions of) RITE Prep
Organize Continuum Review sessions, including pre and post tests
Assist faculty with end of block Jeopardys or Exams
Coordinate Neuroanatomy Course Lab schedule with Dr. Dana Mihaila
Assist with Sim Lab development and execution
Demonstrate innovation in educational programs.

Public Relations Lead/Wellness Lead (one PGY-4)

Assist PD with Grand Rounds Planning
Greet, introduce, and host Grand Rounds speakers
Key role during interview season hosting candidates
Develop community involvement programs to increase resident involvement in community health
Act as an advocate for Medical Students
Demonstrate innovation in public relations.
Chair Resident Wellness Committee
Work with Faculty Wellness Committee and program leadership to promote resident wellness practices and identify causes of burnout.