Adult Neurology Residency
Six UTHSC Neurology Residents Present at International Stroke Conference
Six residents in the Neurology Department in the College of Medicine at the University
of Tennessee Health Science Center have been invited to present their research at
the International Stroke Conference (ISC) in Hawaii February 6-8. The ISC is the
world’s premiere stroke conference.
https://news.uthsc.edu/six-uthsc-neurology-residents-present-at-international-stroke-conference/
Educational Philosophy and Curriculum
The Neurology Department strongly believes that trainees can best develop their knowledge and skills within a structured educational framework. To accomplish this, a Clinical Neuroscience Course has been designed specifically to meet the needs of the Residents. The Course begins in the first week of Residency, when the Neurologic Exam is taught in detail. This is followed by an intensive summer course on Neurological Emergencies. One hour each week is devoted to a didactic session followed by a second hour featuring case vignettes. In the fall, the Course introduces trainees to the basic and clinical Neurosciences which are comprehensively reviewed in three year cycles. The topics include:
- Neuroanatomy
- Neurophysiology
- Neurochemistry
- Neuropharmacology
- Neuropathology
- Neuroradiology
- Epilepsy
- Neuro-opthalmology
- Diseases of Nerve and Muscle
- Neurologic Disease of Aging
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Neuroimmunology
- Neurogenetics
- Behavioral Neurology and Stroke
Faculty from multiple departments participate, and to facilitate learning, teaching is informal, interactive, problem-oriented and, whenever possible, clinically relevant. Every effort is made to assure that the Residents assimilate the most important material. This includes periodic written and oral examinations that have proved very popular with our residents since most do very well, and the exams provide an objective measure of their intellectual growth. Over a three year period, the Residents acquire a solid foundation in the Basic and Clinical Neurosciences to meet the future demands of their neurology practice and to pass the certification exams of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement Programs—
Developing Effective Bedside Manners
Residents receive individual, practical bedside teaching by faculty who supervise their patient management on a daily basis (Work Rounds). With managed care upon us, considerable time is spent in teaching Residents how to contain costs while improving the quality of care and patient outcome. Residents actively participate in the Department's Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement programs.
Diverse Academic Conferences, Subspecialty Electives,
and Research Opportunities
To round-out their education, the Department provides the Residents with a wide variety of required and optional conferences. Speakers are drawn from within and outside the University. These conferences include:
- Neurology/Neurosurgery Grand Rounds
- Clinical Neurophysiology Conference
- Neuroradiology Conference
- Pediatric Neurology Conference
- Stroke Conference
- EMG/EEG Conference
- Board Review Conference
- Journal Club
- Neuroscience Seminar
- Neuro-ophthalmology Conference
- Neuro-emergencies Course
- Monthly Case Vignettes
Eight to ten hours of conference time are carefully scheduled each week to avoid conflicts with clinics and other service demands so that the residents can attend these conferences. The Department also offers subspecialty electives and research opportunities that prepare the Resident for postdoctoral fellowships. The Department thus immerses trainees in an intensive academic environment that permits each trainee to learn and progress to the best of his or her ability.