PGY-3

During your first year of in-depth neurology training, you will develop expertise in managing common adult neurological conditions and be introduced to child neurology.

Clinical Program

Name of Rotation
Length of Rotation
Adult Neurology - Inpatient
8 modules
Child Neurology 1 module
Neurophysiology - Electroencephalography (EEG)
1 module
Neurophysiology - Electromyography (EMG) 1/2 module
Neuroimaging 1/2 module
Night Float 1 module

1 module = 4 weeks

During this year, you will assume direct responsibility for select patients in diverse hospital settings in the Western New York area. 

With guidance from our expert faculty neurologists and senior residents, you will achieve a primary-care level of competence in caring for adult neurologic patients. 

You also will begin working with children during your introductory child neurology rotation at a nationally recognized children’s hospital.

You will work as part of an interdisciplinary team, with opportunities to learn directly from our expert child psychiatrist, developmental pediatricians and social workers.

In addition, you will begin developing long-term relationships with your own panel of patients in your continuity care outpatient clinic once each week.

Develop, Demonstrate Growing Expertise

You will build proficiency in diagnosing and treating basic neurological disorders — including indications for diagnostic tests — and in performing basic neurologic bedside procedures.

You also will become familiar with state-of-the-art neurodiagnostic tools and techniques, along with their underlying basic science, completing your initial experiences in neuroimaging and electrophysiology (both electroencephalography an electromyography).

You will further refine your history-taking and physical and neurological examination skills and demonstrate your abilities in these areas by the end of your third month.

Lectures

This year, you will begin participating in our robust lecture series, enhancing your knowledge of a particular area of clinical neurology or basic neuroscience during each module.

In this foundation year, you will learn the fundamentals of brain structure and function during introductory lectures. You will learn about the basic sciences on which child neurology is founded, such as neuroanatomy, neural and behavioral development, neuropathology, neurophysiology,  neuroimaging,  neuropsychology,  neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, molecular biology, genetics, immunology, epidemiology and statistics.

Topics include:

  • neural development – basic structural and neurochemical features
  • disorders of neural development – genetics, epidemiology and molecular biology of development
  • hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy – neurodevelopment, molecular, psychologic aspects
  • neuroimaging –  developmental issues, prematurity, brain injury and neuropathology
  • newborn and early childhood electroencephalography
  • clinical exam and development

Specialized lecture series cover electroencephalography (EEG) — including various montages, technical approaches, norms and variants, epileptiform activity and encephalopathies — and electromyography.

You also will have opportunities to learn from nationally known speakers during intensive, department-sponsored conferences. Recent events have focused on stroke, epilepsy and sleep disorders.

  • Conferences and Rounds
    2/7/19
    Learn, teach, share and challenge yourself through our engaging forums, personalized and group discussions and specialized research presentations.

Career-Enhancing Discovery

This year, you will explore and define your own research interests, preparing to engage in two shorter or one continuous original research project over the next two years.

After familiarizing yourself with faculty and their areas of expertise, you will choose your research mentor, who will guide you through the process.

We Prepare You for Success

At the end of the year, you will take your first Resident In-Service Training Examination (RITE), administered by the American Academy of Neurology. This will help you evaluate your theoretical knowledge of specific areas of neurology.

You also will take a mock oral board examination in adult neurology, using select cases to assess your ability to analyze clinical problems and prioritize management strategies.

Results of these annual reviews will chart your progress and allow you to plan a course of action for self-improvement.

Repeated each of your three years, this process also prepares you well to pass your board certification exam on your first attempt.

Teaching and Mentoring

Through formal and informal forums, you will gradually take on a greater role in educating less experienced members of your team, including other residents and medical students, as well as other health care professionals.

You also will take on more responsibility for planning and supervising teaching conferences.