Department of Neurology

Residency Program Overview

Program Overview

The residency training program in Neurology is fully approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  ACGME approved fellowship training beyond the residency period in Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG-EMG), may be undertaken by trainees interested in academic careers.

The formal portion of the Neurology training program covers a period of three years and begins with the second postgraduate year of training (PGY2).  A strong background in internal medicine for general neurology, neurology-medicine or neuropsychiatry training is essential.  The neurology-medicine and neuropsychiatry programs are four and five year experiences respectively, beginning after the first postgraduate year of internal medicine training and leads to board eligibility in two disciplines.  All three programs have a PGY 1 position guaranteed and it is required to be done at WVU.  The categorical neurology training program has a guaranteed first year in the ACGME approved transitional year program here at WVU. 

During their formal training in neurology each resident will complete 36 months or full time clinical experience.  This includes and is required; the neurology inpatient and consultation services, epilepsy monitoring unit, pediatric neurology and psychiatry.
 Residents also participate in the clinical neurosciences experiences, which includes active participation in the following electives; neuropathology, neuro-opthalmology, electromyography, electroencephalography, neurosurgery, neuroradiology and headache.  Research proposals can be made to spend elective time doing research.  In addition each resident has a weekly neurology continuity clinic where the resident follows his/her patients during the entire residency period supervised closely by an attending. The opportunity to follow patients for long periods of time is a special strength of our program and gives the resident the experience of following the natural history and response to treatment of neurologic diseases.

The resident works closely with the faculty throughout the clinical years.  The entire patient population is available for residents and medical student training and teaching.

Staffing rounds are made daily with the attending neurologist on the inpatient and consultation services.  The faculty and residents work closely together in the clinic setting.  Residents are intimately involved in the teaching and supervision of medical students and medicine and psychiatry residents assigned to the neurology service.  Residents are encouraged to participate actively in research projects and most have presented papers at national meetings and/or published papers by the end of their training.

The Six Core Competencies

This residency program requires its residents to obtain competencies in the 6 areas below to the level of a new practitioner. Toward this end, we define per the RRC the specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes required and provide educational experiences as needed in order for our residents to demonstrate:            

1. Patient Care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health
   
   
2. Medical Knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate (e.g. epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care
   
   
3. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement that involves the investigation and evaluation of their own patient care, appraisal and assimilation of scientific evidence, and improvements in patient care
   
   
4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills that result in effective information exchange and teaming with patients, their families, and other health professionals
   
   
5. Professionalism, as manifested through a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles, and sensitivity to a diverse patient population
   
   
6. Systems-Based Practice, as manifested by actions that demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context of health care and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value.