Adult Neurology

As you progress through your adult neurology rotations, you will observe and learn from some of the region’s top neurology experts.

You will gradually increase your sophistication as you master the classical approach to diagnosis and management of neurological disease: localization, differential diagnosis, diagnostic plan, treatment plan and follow-up.

You will develop skills needed to care for diverse patients with a broad range of illnesses as you train in a variety of health care facilities throughout Western New York.

Each rotation takes place in either a combination of three distinctive hospitals (an urban general medical center, a specialized vascular and stroke treatment institute and a world-class comprehensive cancer center) or a regional hospital serving veterans.

The flexible skill set you acquire will allow you to adapt rapidly to whatever professional setting you choose for your future career.

From the start, we engage you in neurological care through two specialized rotations.

Your first adult neurology rotation emphasizes general neurology. Your second is a diverse “boot camp” emphasizing a broad mix of experiences: general neurology, stroke, night call and neurological intensive care.

We teach you to fine-tune a diagnosis through localization — a comprehensive process to identify the type of nervous system dysfunction and the site of the lesion causing symptoms.

Under the guidance of neurologists and senior neurology residents, you will acquire the clinical skills and use the diagnostic tools that guide your decisions about patient care.

You will learn to achieve the best outcome possible for each patient through innovative treatment strategies and sound follow-up care.

You will develop strong evaluative skills as you take thorough neurological histories and perform general physical and neurological examinations.

Working with our expert multidisciplinary specialists, you will learn how to interpret electrophysiological and imaging tests and integrate findings with clinical and laboratory results. Our outstanding facilities and diagnostic equipment will support your learning in developing comprehensive differential diagnoses of common neurological disorders.

During your first full year of neurology training, you will expand your patient base, planning care for neurological conditions seen in diverse inpatient and outpatient settings.

You will broaden your scope of treatment, providing differential diagnoses for most neurological problems and effectively localizing neurological lesions.

You will refine and perfect your clinical skills, making use of sophisticated techniques for neurological examination, including lumbar puncture.

Later in your third year, as a senior resident, you will achieve a level of neurological knowledge and clinical skill comparable to that of a practicing neurologist.

You will assume substantial responsibility for evaluating and managing patients with neurological disease, including those with any neurological presentation and those with uncommon, complex or multiple neurological problems. 

You will make full use of the broad array of investigational tools as you master interpreting electromyography, nerve conduction velocity, electroencephalography, MRI, X-ray and CT scans.

You also will gain supervisory experience as you oversee patient care and manage and teach less experienced residents and medical students.

As you hone and refine your skills based on frequent, relevant feedback from more experienced members of your team, you will have opportunities to shoulder more responsibility and more challenging cases.

You will learn from — and teach — your team members as you engage in dialogue, participate in daily rounds and present your findings and proposed care plans.

Through our robust didactic training, you will gain a solid scientific background and learn how to apply this knowledge to patient care. During your preliminary year, you will prepare to enter your junior residency by participating in orientation lectures on basic neurological problems and neurological emergencies.

You also will continuously update your knowledge of neurology as you research, present and apply information from the scientific and medical literature.

Beyond clinical skills, you will discover your own best approach to patient care by observing expert faculty-physicians at work and participating in formal and informal learning experiences.

You will develop your ability to communicate effectively with diverse patients, family members and health care providers; make use of a wide variety of health care resources; and continuously grow as a physician.

Your male and female adult patients from throughout Western New York will include veterans. You will encounter numerous conditions, including:

• multiple sclerosis
• movement disorders
• dementia
• neuro-ophthalmologic disorders
  
• stroke
• sleep disorders

During each rotation, you will either rotate through the first three sites listed below or train at the Buffalo VA Medical Center.

At Buffalo General Medical Center, your care team, guided by an attending neurologist, includes:

• 1 senior neurology resident (PGY 4 or later PGY 3)
  
• 2 junior neurology residents (PGY 2 or early PGY 3)
  
• rotating residents from non-neurology specialties
• 2-4 medical students

Your team will typically care for about 20 patients at a time; as a junior resident, you will work directly with four to seven patients.