Resident Opportunities
There are ample opportunities for didactic learning at Upstate. We have 9 formal organized conferences throughout the week for dedicated teaching.
Morning Report
Root Cause Analysis Sessions
This conference provides each senior resident the opportunity to learn how to recognize and analyze the process of confronting challenges to patient quality and safety. Each resident presents on one case in front of the group and leads a root cause analysis of the challenges that faced the physicians involved and how they can be mitigated at a systems level. Many quality projects and research are born in this special conference. These special conferences occur about 8-9 times per year during the morning-report time slot.
Summer Emergency Management Series
This recurring series from July to September introduces new residents to basic elements of clinical neurology such as neurologic history, examination, note-writing, safe handoffs and basic localization. It also covers the recognition and management of neurologic emergencies such as coma, status epilepticus, stroke, acute vision loss, neuromuscular emergencies and the like.
Daily Noon Conferences
Daily noon conferences follow an anatomic model and integrate instruction in basic science with clinical sciences. We begin in September with a review of the cortical anatomy, stroke mechanisms, classic stroke syndromes, pathology and neuroradiology of stroke and brain cutting. From there we move to epilepsy, reviewing cortical organization, cortical layers, anatomy of the hippocampus, seizure mechanisms, introduction to EEG, neuropharmacology of epilepsy and anti-convulsants, etc. Then to the basal ganglia and movement disorders, brainstem and demyelinating disorders, to spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system.
Other conferences that occur during this time slot include:
- Monthly meetings with the program leadership to provide feedback and solve problems facing the program and residents.
- Departmental Quality Officer, Dr. Anuradha Duleep, meets monthly with the residents to work on patient safety/quality education and quality improvement projects.
- Bimonthly Wellness Conference.
- Bimonthly Social Rounds with Chiefs
- Monthly Journal Club sessions.
- Junior-level conferences are given on Thursdays to allow PGY3-4 residents to attend board-review sessions.
Neuroradiology Conferences
Special Activities
We have a number of special interactive learning activities where residents get to practice their history-taking, examination, diagnosis and communication skills. These include stroke simulations at the Simulation Center (annually), Botox training Sessions (annually), and Communication Skills workshop (every 3 years) at the Clinical Skills Center.
Grand Rounds
Held starting late September through June, Grand Rounds lectures are presented by faculty, residents and fellows and outside speakers on a wide range of current topics. Once a month departmental morbidity and mortality conferences are held.
Research
Training in research methods and experience doing research are important aspects of Neurology resident education. At Upstate Neurology, all residents are required to complete a scholarly project.
During the first year, each resident selects a mentor with expertise in the trainee’s area of interest. The recommended timeline for the project is:
- PGY-2 - Choose a research project and perform a literature review
- PGY-3 - Collect data
- PGY-4 - Present abstract and write a paper
Annual research updates take place in June at the end of each academic year. Each resident is assigned 30 minutes to give an update on the status of their project. Faculty members with expertise in study design offer “Study Design Consultation” at critical points in project development.
Examples of research projects include the following:
- Clinical research
- Basic and translational science
- Outcomes and health care utilization research
- Medical education research
- Clinical case presentation with a review of the literature
